The Darker Side of Light
by RainFlame
Summary: After Leon's world is destroyed, he starts to rebuild his life and the lives of those around him in Radiant Garden. But a chance meeting with a certain fiery redhead gets him into more trouble than he bargained for. Rated for violence, just to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

Hey! Welcome to The Darker Side of Light!

We very soon leave the realm of Final Fantasy VIII, but for those not very familiar with it:

**Squall Leonhart-** Leon

**Balamb Garden-** The military academy/ship that Squall/Leon commands.

**Ragnarok-** A space-worthy aircraft.

**Rinoa-** The girl/sorceress Squall fell in love with.

**Irvine, Zell, Quistis, Selphie-** Squall's team and close friends.

I believe that's I can tell you without giving too much away. On we go...

* * *

He ran fast and hard through the brush. His breath came in strangled gasps.

A shadow slithered near him. In one quick, fluid motion, _Lionheart_ was in his hands and the shadow dispatched.

His mind was racing for answers almost as fast as his feet were racing for escape, but he couldn't seem to get past one looming question.

Why?

As much as he wanted, though, he found no answer. Maybe there was no answer. It wasn't like he had an excuse. He had let this happen. The world was quickly and effectively coming to an end, and it was his fault.

If he had paid her more attention, maybe this could have all been avoided. If he hadn't taken her control for granted. If he had given her the time of day instead of focusing so much on running the Garden. If he had been a better Knight. If, if, if.

But he hadn't. And he did, and he didn't.

And he wasn't.

Without an attentive Knight to protect her, she had given into her Sorceress' powers. She had been overwhelmed. He could still hear her screams…

"Squall!"

He turned sharply, kicking up loam, running to Irvine's voice and the sudden crack of gunfire.

They had had to set Balamb Garden down near Fisherman's Horizon. It was no longer operable after the shadows ravaged the engine in their first attack. Her screams had summoned them, bringing them from the walls and through the floor.

Garden's population had been cut in half by that single assault. He had ordered the evacuation as soon as the ship touched ground, and now they all ran for their lives. Squall had been the last out. He had pleaded with her and apologized. He tried to get her to move, to run with him, but she could only scream and send the shadows at him.

He could only watch, helpless as they consumed her.

And now Zell was screaming.

Garden wasn't the only place the shadows had flocked to. The surrounding country was filled with them, jumping out of nowhere, appearing from thin air.

Squall sped up, pushing his body to its limits, gritting his teeth at the pain in his side where sharp claws had cut his flesh. His team and all of his remaining cadets were in danger. He could smell the smoke and the blood and the stench of sulfur.

It didn't take him too much longer to catch up to the group. It was devastatingly small, with only about twenty-five still standing. Surely they hadn't lost so many? Maybe they had gotten separated…

But that wasn't the most pressing of concerns. The shadows were closing in on them, golden eyes glowing with hunger. Squall watched as one leapt at a cadet that was just too slow, bringing claws to bear on his chest. In one deft move, it ripped out his heart and stuffed it into its own gaping maw.

The cadet writhed a second before his skin turned into blackness. His form shriveled and twisted until it too became a shadow. It then picked itself off the ground, antennae twitching and tongue tasting the air for a victim.

A shot to the head turned the creature into dust.

Irvine fired repeatedly into the swarm, dispelling the shadows with frantic shots. Others cut, beat and sliced their way through the wave of blackness. Squall quickly joined, stepping between a shadow and Zell as the wounded martial artist tried to stand up. Blood leaked from his arm, soaking his shirt.

Squall focused his mind on the battle at hand, slashing his way through the black tide. It was a hopeless battle, really. He knew it. So did every cadet and seasoned warrior around him. He saw it in the bleak stares of his companions as they saw the endless sea of shadows stretched out before them, and in the knowing look they had when a comrade screamed.

No one was getting out of here alive. The _Lionheart_ was becoming heavier every parry, every thrust. He felt his energy draining with the blood seeping through his side. They were all going to die here, and it would all be his fault.

"Squall!"

The voice got his attention. He shot a glance to the side, not daring to spare the owner of the voice more attention than that. But when he saw what Irvine was pointing at, he did a double take.

_Ragnarok! _

The ship put down nearby and lowered a ramp. The shadows seemed oblivious to the new arrival, preferring to focus on closer prey.

At this point, Squall didn't care if Ultimecia herself was piloting it. Anything was better than dying here at the hands of once-comrades-turned-shadows.

"Get to the ship!" he shouted, grabbing Zell by the arm and half dragging him off the battlefield. The group made a collective sprint to the ship, abandoning the fight completely, but the extra load caused Squall to fall behind.

Something jumped on his back, digging sharp talons into his flesh. It took him a long second to realize he was screaming as the monster proceeded to tear through skin and muscle, looking for his heart.

Something else attached to his leg, then his waist.

He was screaming, falling. He was drowning in a sea of black.

This was his punishment, the wages of his sin. He would become the very thing that had killed her.

_Rinoa._

Squall closed his eyes.

* * *

So I haven't seen many fics on here involving how Squall got involved with all this Kingdom Hearts business. I thought I'd make my own version ^-^

As far as major characters go, Lea (Axel) will play an important role in this fiction. I think Squall interacting with Lea/Axel could prove interesting XD

Please leave a review, if you would, and let me know what you think. I'm also open to any suggestions for the plot that you might have :) I've got a basic one panned out, but there's always room for more ^-^

Have a great week!

God Bless,

-RainFlame


	2. Chapter 2

Hey! We finally have chapter two here :D

**KazeNoTsubasa:** Thanks for your review! And thanks :) I hope to explain a bit later on how Squall neglecting Rinoa results in the presence of Heartless a bit later. If it's still too vague, though, be sure to let me know!

I totally forgot this on the first chapter, but this will apply to the whole story. I don't own Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy. Pity.

On with the fic!

* * *

He heard them, sometimes. They would whisper to him, saying things they wouldn't dare to if he were conscious. They rambled, confided and pleaded. Sometimes he ignored them, but sometimes he listened.

"_We miss you, Squall. Please wake up."_

"_Knowing you, you probably think this is all your fault, huh? Well, it's not. Hurry up and wake up. We're all waiting on you."_

"_You're our Commander, Squall. We don't know what to do. _I _don't know what to do. I can't lead these people by myself."_

"_You just going to lay there and die, Squall? Your job's not done yet. You've got work to do."_

Actually, that had been his plan. He didn't want to wake up. He wanted to die.

Then, he almost thought he could hear another voice. One that was achingly familiar. It reminded him of afternoons spent outside in a field of flowers and nights on the balcony under a canopy of stars. It reminded him of the scent of lavender and the color blue.

"_Get up, Squall. They all need you."_

_I can't. I'm not fit to lead anyone. _

"_You can't die, Squall. You're life isn't over."_

_It can be. I just have to lay here._

"_Squall. Wake up."_

_Rinoa…_

"Wake up."

* * *

His eyes cracked open, then immediately closed at the onslaught of light.

A groan escaped his lips. He felt like he had been hit by a train. Maybe he had been. He couldn't really remember.

"Squall?!"

He winced. "Too loud," he rasped. He wasn't sure if the cowboy could hear him, though.

"It's about time!" Irvine continued. Squall heard footfall pacing away from him and Irvine mumbled something before returning into Squall's view, bringing with him a glass of water. Squall tried to sit up, but couldn't without making his back flare with pain.

"Easy, Squall! You just woke up," Irvine chastised. He helped Squall sit up and, much to the commander's embarrassment, held the glass steady while Squall drank from it. He removed it, however, when Squall began to choke. "Easy," Irvine repeated, helping him lay back down.

Squall waited several moments to speak. "Where are we?" he managed.

"On the _Ragnarok_." He hesitated. "We tried to set her down on several continents, but it was impossible. Those things were everywhere."

"Everywhere?" Squall asked, trying to wrap his sluggish mind around the implications.

Another pause. "The planet's gone, Squall."

Squall tried to speak, but nothing came out. Gone? How could it be gone? "Gone?" he finally repeated, still not fully understanding.

"For all intents and purposes, yeah. There's nothing left but those black monsters. We scoured the planet, but it's like they covered the world overnight. There's not a living soul left." Irvine spoke quickly, like repeating it was painful.

Squall forced the question from his lips. "How many are left?"

"The _Ragnarok_ picked up twenty-six. We got the _Dreadnaught_ and the _Blackjack_ from Esthar with us, too. I think they've got sixty-four between them, including your father."

Sixty-four…plus twenty-six? That was it? The survivors of the attack totaled ninety?

The sheer bleakness of the number was enough to make Squall's heart skip a beat.

Ninety refugees…

And it was his fault.

"Squall!" someone screeched. The breath was knocked out of him as Selphie tackled him in a hug that was none too gentle. His back protested harshly to the treatment.

"Selphie! Get off of him!" another familiar voice snapped. "Honestly!"

The brunette reluctantly removed herself from Squall's chest, allowing him to breathe, then choke on the air.

Quistis came into view. "How do you feel?" she asked him, stepping over to check the readouts on several machines and to check the IV in his arm.

Squall obligingly ran through list of symptoms, only editing a few things here and there to spare his dignity. It was all he had left, at the moment.

"It's about time! You've been out for almost five days!" Zell informed.

Squall frowned. Five days…five days since…"Status report?"

Quistis launched into a detailed account of the past few days, starting with being unable to land on the planet, meeting up with the _Dreadnaught_ and the _Blackjack_, then making the decision to try their luck out in space. "After three days of space travel, we've ended up here."

Squall blinked at the way she said 'here,' like it was an actual specific location and not just a general term. "Here? Where's here?"

Quistis now looked a bit hesitant. "A planet that's not supposed to be here." At the look Squall gave her, she elaborated. "The few scientists on the _Dreadnaught_ claimed that this planet wasn't here five days ago."

"They call it Radiant Garden," Zell informed. "We just got back from a meeting with the locals again, and President Loire's still at the castle meeting with ruler of the planet. Anson the Smart or something like that."

"It's _Ansem_ the _Wise_, dork," Selphie commented, sticking her tongue out at the blond.

Zell made a face at her before turning back to Squall. "Either way, it's a good thing this planet appeared. We didn't have enough fuel to make it through the week."

Squall glanced at Quistis, considering. She was his second in command and would call the shots if Squall were out of the picture. That meant that she had made the decision to leave their planet for the dead of space with no destination in mind. If this Radiant Garden hadn't been here, they'd have been dead in a matter of days. What was she thinking?

"Ansem wants to meet with you, once you're well. He has an offer for you," Selphie said, spinning in the chair she now occupied.

"Well, that won't be for another week, at least," Quistis informed brusquely. "Doctor's orders."

Squall glared at her, but didn't reply otherwise. He was normally fine with allowing other's to take charge and leave him without the responsibility of other people's lives. This time, however, it was his responsibility and his alone. It was his fault the world was destroyed. He had neglected his duties as a Knight. He didn't even notice the changes in Rinoa until it was too late…

"Squall?"

Jarred from his thoughts, Squall glanced up at Irvine.

"I asked if you needed anything," the cowboy repeated, situating his hat on his head.

"I want the ship's logs and a list of every cadet, staff and SeeD member that made it from Balamb and a list of the crew on the _Dreadnaught_ and _Blackjack_. Once I review those I'll want to speak to President Loire."

Quistis cast him a disapproving look, but didn't respond. Apparently she knew when and when not to pull the doctor card. He wouldn't have obeyed anyway. Not this time.

"Yes, sir," Irvine responded with a sloppy salute, sauntering off to fulfill his orders.

"What about us?" Zell asked, crossing his arms. "What do we do?"

"I want to know the layout of the land. Quistis, take Selphie and Zell and scout out the surrounding area and the city. I want a map, too. Report back immediately afterward."

They all saluted and filed out of the room, leaving Squall alone with nothing but his inhospitable thoughts for company.

* * *

The _Dreadnaught _and the _Blackjack _are both ships mentioned in the Final Fantasy series.

Next chapter we'll get to chat with Ansem and we'll meet some Somebodies that will later be Nobodies :D

I hope you enjoyed chapter two! Please leave a review and let me know what you think, areas to improve upon, and any ideas you might like to contribute. I'm open (though not obligated XD) to suggestions!

Have a great week!

God Bless,

-RainFlame


	3. Chapter 3

Hello! Welcome to chapter three XD

**KazeNoTsubasa:** I'm not too sure what the Rinoa=Ultimecia theory is...but if it's something about the Knight basically keeping a sorceress from losing her sanity, and that if there is no Knight a sorceress turns evil, then yes XD Exactly. And due to popular request, this chapter is a bit longer. I hope it is satisfactory :)

**Evil StormSister:** I'll have to read yours once I'm finished with this :) Squall is my favorite XD And I upped the word count a bit on this one due to you and KazeNoTsubasa's request :) Did you mean everyone but Squall _dies_? Or did I just get confused...? That's always a possibility ^-^ Hope you enjoy :)

On we go.

* * *

The knock on the bulkhead drew Squall's attention from the readouts in front of him. Laguna stood there, dressed in his president's uniform and wearing a small smile on his face. The pleasant look, however, was undermined by deepened worry lines and dark shadows. Squall would have to try to be gentle with him, even if he was an incompetent moron. It was hard on him, too. "Sorry it took me so long," Laguna apologized. "I was with Ansem."

Squall frowned, but didn't otherwise reply to the statement. He noticed the older man's eyes were dulled and his skin was pale. He looked like a dead man walking.

Laguna approached and pulled a chair up to Squall's bedside, causing the commander a bit of discomfort. He had never liked feeling as weak as he did, and hated it even more when other people saw him like that. Especially people like Laguna.

"How do you feel?" the President asked, running a hand through his long dark hair and planting his elbows firmly on each knee.

"Fine," Squall said brusquely in an effort to prevent his father from acting like his father. Even now, years after finding out who Laguna was, he wanted no part in the relationship. Squall was a mercenary commander, and Laguna was the president of a nonexistent country. That was the end of it. "What's the situation?"

Laguna sighed, like this had been the answer he had expected. "Same as yesterday. Ansem sent a few ships out to see what was left of our planet. Now they're looking into making us permanent residents of Radiant Garden."

Squall noticed how he glossed over the results of the scouting mission. And by the "permanent residents" comment, that probably meant there was nothing left. No one was left,

Rinoa was gone for sure.

Reading through the list of survivors had been a bleak task. There were so very few, and so many names that weren't on the list that Squall had prayed would be on the list. Ellone, Ward, Cid, Kadowaki… What he did have were fourteen SeeDs, seven cadets, two janitors, a biologist, a cook, and a librarian. The other ships had mostly diplomats and other people of "importance", two scientists and several members of the President's Guard. All the people left of their world could fit into the _Ragnarok_'s storage bay.

"What are our options?" Squall asked, trying to massage away the headache that was slowly growing behind his left eye.

"Well, Ansem has offered all military personnel jobs, as well as any scientists we may have. I'm afraid that everyone else is out of luck, as far as working at the castle goes."

"Where would they go?" Squall asked. He wasn't going to just leave the rest of his people out to dry.

"Ansem said he could get them houses and a start at a farm, or jobs at facilities according to their former professions," he informed. "But I'm not going to sign anything without you. These are your people, too."

Squall nodded. Laguna knew Squall wouldn't be happy with him taking over in this situation.

"I also brought someone to meet you…"

At this, Squall frowned. Who could he possibly want to meet now? "Who?"

Laguna smiled and rose, then walked over to the doorway. "You can come in now," he said into the hallway.

Squall did his best to sit up more before she walked around the corner. She had green eyes and wore a white dress with blue trim, ugly boots and long auburn hair pulled back into a braid. She wasn't exactly gorgeous, but she was pretty, in a unique way.

"Hello. I'm Aeris," she said, clasping her hands behind her back and smiling. "I'm a Healer."

Squall relaxed a bit. "Healer?" he asked.

She nodded. "Lord Ansem told me you were wounded. I came to help." She sat down in the chair Laguna had vacated and pulled herself closer to the bed. "May I?"

Squall glanced at her outstretched hand before dipping his head once in consent. Anything to get off this ship and out with his team. A break from the pain would be nice, too.

"Okay. You might feel an uncomfortable tingling, but then it should be over. Ready?" she asked. When he nodded again, she placed her hands over the bandages on his chest. At first, nothing happened. Then, a green energy began to radiate from her palms. She moved her hands, focusing it on the hole in his chest. He could feel the tingling she had described; it was an itching from the inside, running to the core of his body and knitting him from the inside out. He could feel the tissues and bones melding back together and blood began to soak into the bandages before those wounds closed too.

Finally, she pulled back, a sheen of sweat covering her pale face. "There," she smiled, her voice a bit shaky. "That should do it."

Squall blinked a moment, then sat up. No pain. He pulled off a layer of bandages to reveal smooth, new skin under a smear of blood. Even his headache was gone. "Thank you," he murmured.

Her smile stayed in place. "Of course." She looked up at Laguna. "Didn't you have a message to give him?"

"Oh!" Laguna looked at Squall. "Yes, well, Lord Ansem wants to know if you and your people would like to be his temporary guests in his castle until matters have been settled. That way you would be closer when discussions are held."

From the sound of it, Laguna had probably already accepted the ruler's offer. "I'll consult with my officers and let him know in the morning." Squall carefully pulled himself to his feet, noting the stiffness in his muscles from so many days in bed. "Please tell Lord Ansem that I would like an audience with him at his latest convenience." The formal words fell from his lips smoothly from years of putting up with bureaucrats and other elites that only politicians should have to deal with.

Aeris smiled. "Of course. I'll come tomorrow for your answer and with Lord Ansem's reply."

"Allow me to walk you out," Laguna said, gesturing ahead of him with an arm. Together, they left the room, leaving Squall alone once more. This time, however, he didn't plan on staying put.

He discovered the tattered remains of his clothing in a storage bin, along with Griever, his necklace, his gunblade holster and his belts. He took anything still useful and abandoned the rest before going in search of something more suitable to wear. His search ended in the locker room, where he was able to locate a musty T-shirt that would have to do. While he was there, he showered to remove the blood from his pale skin and peeled away any remaining bandages.

A half hour later, he was standing in the empty cockpit of the ship. He hadn't seen a single soul on the ship since Laguna and Aeris. Where was everyone?

"I told your people to go out and have a little fun for a while," Laguna said, coming up behind him. "They needed it. I told them that me and my guards would watch the place while they were gone."

Squall glared. "You have no business ordering my people around."

The president didn't seem to wither as much as he usually did under Squall's gaze. In light of all that had happened, Squall's disapproval probably wasn't that big of a deal. "They looked like zombies. The town's safe, and Ansem gave us some local currency. I told them to have a good time. You could use a break, too."

Squall turned to look out the viewport. The rolling plains of Radiant Garden stretched out before them. He saw a girl and a man, both riding chocobos out in the distance, heading for a glint in the fading light. Must have been Aeris and an escort, heading for the town.

Laguna took Squall's arm and put a handful of gold coins into his palm. "Get out of here, Squall. If nothing else, just get some fresh air. There're a few chocobos tethered outside. You can take one."

Squall glanced at the money in his hand before returning his eyes to Laguna's face. "I have more important things to do than taking a vacation."

"You can't accomplish anything without anyone here," the president insisted, crossing his arms. When had Laguna become so stubborn and so demanding? "C'mon, Squall, it's just a few hours. Then everyone will be back here and you can plan and plot to your heart's desire."

Squall scowled, but shoved the money in his pocket. He did have something of a point. That didn't mean Squall had to like it, though. At least this would be a chance to scope out the city for himself. "Fine. I'll be back in two hours."

Laguna grinned, allowing a glimpse of his usual carefree attitude. "We'll be expecting you."

* * *

Squall reined his chocobo into the crowded streets of Radiant Garden. There appeared to be some sort of festival going on, with the main square filled with booths and crowds. Entertainers took their places on several stages and a man juggled fire in the center of the square. Bright banners and streamers hung from flagpoles and windows. People were laughing and children chased each other through the crowded streets. The air was alive and people danced and laughed and ate. It was getting late enough that several bonfires were being lit.

The city wasn't too alien. The homes and businesses were built predominantly with gray stone. Not many buildings seemed to be over three stories high. The architecture was solid and not much into extravagance. The castle that hovered over the city, however, was about the opposite. The protective white-stoned walls towered over the city, trimmed with angelic, marbled figures and intricate designs. Tall spires and elegant sculptures stretched high into the air, giving the place a regal and arrogant feel. Squall took an immediate dislike to it.

Rinoa would have liked it, though. She was like that; despite her practicality, she had always enjoyed pretty, elegant things.

He turned his mount down a side street to escape the crowds and the stifling, jovial atmosphere. In his current mood, he didn't feel like seeing so many happy people.

The street seemed to be a back alley of sorts, upon closer inspection. Crates of supplies stacked up behind stores along with piles of debris. A cat startled and leapt over a fence as he traveled through.

The bird under him twittered restlessly, swaying her head this way and that. Squall urged her on with a tap of his heel. Through the passing buildings, he could easily see the castle in the distance, probably over a mile away. He wanted a closer look.

He traveled through the city quickly, avoiding crowded streets and congested alleys. It took him about forty-five minutes to arrive there, but instead of approaching it, he stopped his mount and observed from across the wide street. Guards dressed in bright red marched up and down the gates and on the walls above. Squall immediately noticed weaknesses in their formation. It seemed they were there for show more than safety. Perhaps Ansem had a more subtle means of protection?

Further observation revealed nothing. Either it was well hidden, or nonexistent. Interesting. So this Ansem was more about appearances than function. That, or he felt completely safe inside his city.

"Pretty, isn't it?"

Squall nearly jumped out of his skin, and in turn startled his chocobo. The bird warked and jerked the reins and Squall had to fight to regain control. Once his mount was settled, he turned an annoyed glare on the new arrival. "What do you want?"

The man smirked. He was tall and extremely thin and clothed in dark pants and a red sweater with combat boots. He had green eyes with strange inverted teardrops tattooed underneath and unbelievably spiky red hair that shot straight back from his head. The smirk on his lips seemed like a permanent addition. "Nothin'. Just admiring the sight," he drawled, shifting his gaze back to the castle.

Squall continued to glare down at him from atop his chocobo. There was something seriously off about this man, but Squall wasn't able to put his finger on what, exactly. Perhaps it was just his disconcerting, almost demeaning, smirk. In any case, Squall would satisfy his unease by making the other man uneasy.

"Well, well, aren't you the friendly type?" the man continued, looking up at Squall with mild interest, in the same manner he might observe a mentally ill goldfish.

So much for intimidating him. It was rare for Squall to meet a man he couldn't glare into submission. "Who are you?" Squall demanded.

"Name's Lea. L-E-A," he spelled. "Commit it to memory."

Squall's frown deepened. "Why are you here?"

"Well, isn't it obvious? I work here."

"Doing what?"

The man's smirk widened. Any wider and it'd split his face apart. "You ask a lot of questions. Am I under interrogation?" Before Squall could defend himself, the red head interrupted him. "I do a little bit of everything, but I'm mostly the palace chef."

"Chef?" Squall asked. This man looked nothing like a chef.

"I make a mean omelet," he said with a grin.

His tone of voice made it seem like he was making no attempt to convince Squall of his occupation. It was an obvious, blatant lie.

"And if I'm not mistaken, you're one of those refugees, aren't you?" he didn't wait for Squall's reply before he continued, "Word in the castle is that Ansem the Wise offered you a job."

"Yes."

"Are you accepting?" Under his flippant, casual tone was a hidden edge that, in turn, put Squall on edge. He didn't know what to make of it.

"Maybe. Why?"

Lea turned away, his smirk slipping off his face to make room for an almost serious visage. He narrowed his eyes at the castle and his tone became much more subdued. "There's something going on under all those pretty white walls. Something nasty."

Ice crept up Squall's spine. "Like what?"

The red head shrugged. "You got me there. Whatever it is, it doesn't bode well for us."

"Us?" Squall asked.

Lea shrugged. "Just watch your back," he said, shoving off the wall that he had been leaning against and began sauntering off.

"Why do you care?" Squall demanded with a frown at the man's retreating back.

Lea stopped for a second, long enough to turn over his shoulder and smirk again. "I don't." On that note, he continued up through the open gates of the castle and disappeared inside.

* * *

Lea is such a creeper XD

Well, obviously I've delayed Ansem's real introduction until the next chapter. And we only met Lea...who already looks like Axel looks like. What's up with that? Well, we shall see later XD

Next chapter (in theory) we meet Ansem. In theory. Maybe my outline isn't ridged enough...

Please review, if you would. Helps me update faster :)

God Bless,

-RainFlame


	4. Chapter 4

Hello! :D I updated when I said I probably would. Amazing, yes?

**Erxenesh:** Thanks! I hope you continue to enjoy it! :)

**NebraeExbaren:** Lol he has the best catchphrase, doesn't he? XD And of course he's having a big role! He's going to get Squally into trouble...

**Evil StormSister:** They look alike for a reason ^-^ And you are very right about him needing to be a bit moodier...I was just thinking he'd be trying to hold it together for his group, but then you brought that up, and I figured out that Squall just lost the love of his life, so he's gotta break sometime. So the first scene was inspired by you ^-^ I don't think it's too much out of character for him, considering the circumstances...what do you think? *twitches* I'm getting all insecure now XD

**Alphakoka:** I almost missed your review! I was about to post before I noticed! Thanks for reading so far. That was insanely fast XD

Please enjoy :)

* * *

Squall awoke violently, gasping for breath and hugging himself. His heart hammered in his chest and sweat poured down his body.

He threw the sheets off of himself and swung his legs over the side of the bed. Squall raised a shaking hand to wipe his face and was surprised when it came away slick with liquid. It was more than sweat. Tears. He hadn't cried since…since his five-year-old self found out that Sis had left…

In the dull light that reflected under the door of the small private cabin, Squall could see the gleam of the silver band that encircled the ring finger of his left hand. He had only known her three years. And in those three years, she had taught him to trust people again, and to trust himself. Three agonizingly short years before she was ripped from him and his life was shattered.

_My own fault._

They hadn't even been married over two years.

_And I killed her._

A fresh bout of what could only be described as pure agony assaulted him. His chest felt tight, like it could collapse into itself at any moment, with the intensity of the pain. Fresh tears spilled from his eyes and he sobbed.

It was hours later before he regained control of himself.

_I can't do this_, he told himself. Now wasn't the time for him to lose his self-control. Not now, when other lives depended on him. He had to be strong, for the rest of them. He wasn't the only one who had lost someone dear.

_But I was the only one that killed them all. I'm the only one to blame._

He couldn't fall apart now. He wouldn't. He was the commander of a fallen mercenary academy. The _commander_. He would see his people through this if it killed him.

And if it killed him, all the better.

* * *

The castle looked even bigger on the inside than it had on the outside. The enormous halls were draped with red and gold ornamentation and giant portraits of rulers past. Expansive rooms could be peeked at through cracks in the great oak doors, their walls covered with tapestries and gold fixtures while the floors sported rugs and fine furniture.

Squall hated it.

Squall, along with Quistis, Laguna, and Kiros, followed Aeris through the corridors, heading for the boardroom.

"Can you believe the size of this place?" Laguna gawked, rubbernecking his way through the castle.

Squall resisted the urge to knock him senseless against a wall, and prayed fervently that Laguna hadn't told anyone that they were related. He was staring around like some tourist, not a president representing a fallen nation and a handful of refugees.

"It is impressive," Kiros agreed, though not sounding as awed as Laguna had.

"This architecture is stunning," Quistis said, gazing in wonder at the arches over their heads. "And the detail on these sculptures is remarkable!"

Was this some kind of conspiracy against Squall's sanity? Maybe he should have brought Irvine along. To him, sculptures were only good for target practice.

"Here we are," Aeris said brightly, much to Squall's relief. She nodded to the guards at the entry, who then proceeded to haul the heavy doors open. They followed the girl inside what appeared to be a reception area. Squall could easily see the boardroom through an archway in the wall beyond.

"Hey!" someone called out.

Squall turned his eyes on the man that had been leaning against the wall behind the door. He was well built and had black spiky hair and violet eyes that seemed to glow. He wore an officer's uniform of some kind, with a giant broadsword strapped to his back. Squall wondered how the man could lift it, much less fight with it.

The first thing he did was wrap an arm around Aeris, then offered everyone else a smile. "You must be the new guys," he said brightly.

"I'm Laguna Loire," Squall's father said, stepping forward to shake the stranger's hand. "This is Kiros, Quistis and Squall."

The brunet nodded his head in greeting. "Nice to meet you. General Zack Fair. And I guess you've met my lovely wife, Mrs. Fair," he introduced with a roguish grin, pulling her closer.

Squall hadn't noticed the twin rings on their fingers, but now he was consciously aware of his own, as if it had suddenly become a lead weight underneath his glove.

He turned away, feeling sick to his core. He couldn't watch, and he didn't care if it was rude. It brought back too many memories, and the breakdown he had had the night before was all too fresh on his mind.

He was grateful when Aeris left. Not long after that, others started arriving. First came a rough-looking man with broad shoulders and black hair named Braig. He was soon followed by an auburn haired Aeleus and a thin man named Dilan, both wearing the same uniform. A short boy called Zidane, with blond hair and what looked like a monkey's tail trailing behind him, arrived after them, then a man with long blond hair named Even. All but Zidane, the scribe, claimed to be scientists. Squall hated scientists.

Finally, Ansem himself arrived. He was a tall man with gold hair, a trimmed goatee, and a benevolent gaze. He was flanked by a young boy with silver hair named Ienzo, and a pale man with white, spiky hair he called Xehanort. Squall knew right at the start that he wouldn't get along with Xehanort. He was too much like an unpleasant mix of Seifer and Odine.

"Well, friends, why don't we move to the meeting room?" Ansem asked, his regal voice thick with a strange accent Squall didn't recognize. "We have a lot to discuss."

They did as Ansem suggested, following the ruler and taking places around the table. Ansem took the head, with Ienzo and Xehanort on either side. The other scientists, Squall noted, sat next to them, leaving Zidane and Zack sitting across from each other. Squall sat beside Zidane, with Quistis across from him. This left two seats, and naturally, Laguna took the one next to Squall, blast it all.

The scientists at the table talked for a while about their most recent research, and Zack and Zidane engaged Squall's companions in small talk while they waited for Ansem to begin. Squall was starting to get annoyed.

"Well, friends, let us begin," Ansem said, sitting up in his chair and steepling his fingers before him. The table quieted as the leader spoke. "Squall, I understand you have some concerns about the welfare of your people."

Squall nodded. "I would like to ensure they are all given the means to provide for themselves," he said.

"A sign of a good leader," Ansem nodded approvingly.

Squall listened as intently as he could manage as the ruler rambled about all of the bureaucratic nonsense that he would be dealing with to ensure the best possible conditions for Squall's people and about all the other countless refugees the man had so far aided. Then he listed his plans for finding the rest of Squall's staff that had no military experience or ambitions.

"Of course, any scientists and individuals with military training you have will be offered a place here," he added, almost as an afterthought. But Squall knew better. There was a hunger in his eyes…it made the hair on Squall's neck stand on end.

"May I ask why you seem to be so interested in keeping soldiers and scientists?" Squall asked, eyeing Ansem with veiled suspicion.

Ansem looked taken aback. "Well, we do a lot of research here at the castle, and naturally I'm concerned about the protection of Radiant Garden."

"Protection against what?" Quistis spoke. She had picked up on Squall's nonverbal cues easily enough, and now seemed to be equally apprehensive.

"The very things that destroyed your world," Xehanort said. Squall cut his gaze to the white-haired young man. His yellow eyes reminded Squall of a snake.

"You mean those things are on this world, too?" Laguna asked, his voice trepid.

Xehanort opened his mouth to speak, but a sharp glance from Ansem silenced him. "There is always a risk of them arriving," the ruler said evenly. "The worlds that have been annihilated by their arrival grow more numerous by the day. We must be prepared in case of an attack."

"Hence our interest in your mercenary group," Zack explained with a grin.

"Yes," Ansem nodded. "Perhaps we can work something out on the matter."

* * *

Squall left the meeting room with a stiff back and a throbbing headache. After three hours of negotiation and planning, they had finally signed contracts and gotten everything settled, including the unloading and storage of the ships. Everything had remained mostly as Ansem had planned, only now Squall understood the setup. His people would be given a job of some sort in the city, while the soldiers and scientists would be given the choice of working in the castle or not.

Squall had accepted the position for himself already. He had been a SeeD his whole life, and despite the dangers and the death that trailed after him like a cloak, he doubted he'd be content with any other occupation. Besides, he would need something to occupy his mind.

"Psst!"

Squall halted his gait and jerked his head around, scanning the hall behind him. He almost missed the green eye, with a few red spikes behind it and a complimentary smirk below, peering around the corner.

"Squall?" Quistis asked after almost bumping into him. Now Laguna, Kiros and Zack had stopped as well to see what the matter was.

Squall frowned and turned to follow as Lea disappeared around the corner before anyone else could spot him. "I'll meet you outside," he called over his shoulder.

He ended up in a small space that resembled a living room more than anything. Lea was sprawled across a plush piece of furniture, looking all the world like he owned the place. "Well, Commander Squall, how'd your chat with our fearless leader and his lackeys go?" he asked as he propped his feet up on the arm of a nearby couch.

The former commander's frown deepened, but he didn't bother asking how Lea knew Squall's name and past rank. Lea seemed to know a lot of things. "I've joined the Palace Guard. I'm no longer the commander of anything."

Lea waved his hand dismissively. "Once a commander, always a commander. When do you start?"

"Tomorrow."

"Ah, perfect!" he rubbed his hands together with a broad grin and jumped to his feet. "You learn the ropes this week, and next, we get down to business."

Squall crossed his arms. "Business?" What was Lea implying? That they work together, going behind the back of Squall's new employer? Was he out to get Squall hanged for treason?

"Well, we can't just lay low while pure evil brews under our feet, can we? There's work to be done, Squally."

Squall winced. "Don't call me that."

Lea didn't seem to notice the command. "Sounds like we have a plan, then. Well, Squall," the redhead, grunted as he stood up, "Guess I'll see you when I see you."

"Wait just a second," Squall ordered before Lea made it out of the room. "What makes you think I'm working with you on anything?"

The redhead turned around with his smirk, crossing his arms and cocking his head to the side. "Well, Squall, you wouldn't want the world to be destroyed, would you?"

Squall's breathing hitched. The tone in his voice…he knew. How? Who told him? And how much did he know? "What are you implying?"

Lea offered a one-armed shrug. "Just that things tend to sneak up on you when you're not paying attention."

The smile was innocent enough, but Squall saw the knowing in Lea's eyes. Lea knew all of it.

The unstable pain in Squall's heart flared, expressing itself in the form of rage. "Get out," Squall snarled.

Lea's smug expression faltered for half a second. Squall saw a glimpse of uncertainty before the self-confidence returned full force. "I'll see you next week," he promised before gliding out the door.

When Squall walked out into the hallway, Lea was gone.

* * *

And, now that you've read the whole page, I shall take the opportunity to say that I'm not satisfied with this chapter. I've revised it at least five times, but can't seem to pinpoint the issue. If you can figure it out, be sure to let me know in your review, please? :) Thanks.

Next chapter, Squall's on guard duty! And I'm sure he's bound to meet some familiar faces...

On a more personal note, my grandfather was just diagnosed with cancer, so depending on what is to come, my update time will probably be affected. (Prayers for my family would be greatly appreciated :) )

Please review, if you would! I enjoy hearing from you guys! Have a great week!

God Bless,

-RainFlame


	5. Chapter 5

Well, we have another record-time update here XD _And _it's a long chapter. Go figure.

**NebraeExbaren:** Thanks! And I really didn't even think about Isa .-. Shame on me. But he might pop up eventually...you never know XD And I kinda liked Braig in his human form...I don't know why. He just kind of looks dashing for some reason ^-^ And I'm sorry about your grandparents :( Thank you for your prayers, though. I really appreciate it :)

**Erxenesh:** Thanks :) I will be taking my time, but at the same time, writing is a nice getaway from all the stress. I hope you enjoy the chapter!

**xkelbix:** Thanks! I'm glad you're enjoying it! And thank you for your thoughts :)

Please enjoy!

* * *

It wasn't even evening yet and it had already been a long day. Squall had overseen the unloading and storage of the Ragnarok, helped at least a dozen of his people move in to town houses on the other side of the city, and managed to get every SeeD, soldier and scientist interested back to the castle in time to sign a contract and pledge loyalty to Ansem.

But his day was far from over. Only now had he managed to gather his own meager possessions and head to the soldier's barracks on castle grounds.

The building was a large stone construction located near the servants' entrance of the castle. Despite its purpose, it was nothing if not luxurious. The entrance hall was covered in plush carpeting with gold fixtures, overstuffed chairs, and a fireplace.

Zack was there to meet the group of SeeDs, cadets and others and proceeded to lead them on a tour of the building. The Garden students were awed. Most of the SeeDs and cadets had come from orphanages and foster homes. They had never really experienced wealth first hand, and seemed eager to do so. Frankly, Squall didn't approve in the least, but he reminded himself he wasn't in command anymore. The performance of soldiers was no longer his concern.

That thought surprised him. It had yet to sink in that he was nothing more than a grunt again, but Squall was already liking the idea of once again only being responsible for himself.

There were over fifty bedrooms to be shared with a bunkmate, a dining hall complete with expensive-looking tables and chairs, a sitting room filled with dusty novels and maps, a meeting room, a recreational room, showers, and a gym. Anything a soldier could ever need and a lot more.

"This place is amazing!" Laguna interrupted Squall's musings, walking up behind him and clapping him on the back.

Oh, yeah. The big drawback: Laguna had had military training. That meant Squall would spend the rest of his time on the job with Laguna not too far away. Grand.

Squall shot the older man an annoyed look. "Don't touch me," he growled.

"Sorry," Laguna blinked, seeming to be a bit surprised by the reaction. He was wonderfully silent for a moment as they followed Zack down the halls. Then, he asked in a low voice, "You alright?"

Alright? Was he _alright_? Did he already forget that their planet was destroyed? That the rest of their friends and family were dead? That _Rinoa_ was dead?

Squall shot him a withering look. "I don't like to be touched."

Laguna caught the hint. After a few awkward moments of hovering, he picked up his pace to catch up with Kiros and a SeeD that were speaking with Zack.

"You shouldn't be too hard on him, you know."

Squall didn't slow his pace or turn to look at the cowboy as he fell into step beside him. "He's hurting, too. He just doesn't show it the same way."

"Shut up, Irvine," Squall muttered. He didn't need to be told. But knowing it didn't make his pain any more bearable.

The last stop on the tour was the dormitories. A long hall of red doors stretched before them. Several residents gave the group curious looks as Zack divided them into groups of two and showed them to their rooms. Squall held his breath until the General declared Laguna and Kiros as bunkmates.

Soon, all the others had been assigned rooms, leaving Squall alone in the hallway with Zack.

The raven-haired soldier looked the list in his hands, then up at Squall. "I hope you don't mind that I've assigned you a roommate you don't know."

It was probably for the best, actually. At least he wouldn't have to put up with his friends constantly prying…

Zack sighed. "It's just a kid that I've been kinda worried about. His name is Cloud, which I guess is asking for trouble," he offered Squall a sheepish smile. "The other guys give him a hard time. His last roommate pulled all kinds of nasty pranks on him, like shredding his bed sheets and putting itching powder in his uniform. It got bad enough that I had to discharge him. So I was just wondering if you'd look out for the kid, huh?"

Squall blinked. This guy was asking him to act like some kid's mother? Squall shook his head. "Whatever."

Zack grinned. "Thanks, buddy!" he crowed, clapping Squall on the shoulder.

Squall staggered under the friendly blow. That felt a lot more forceful than it should have…He got his feet under him before glaring at the soldier. "Which one is mine?"

The brunet cleared his throat. "Um, right here," he gestured to a room on his left.

With a last parting glare, Squall stepped past him and into his new room.

The place was about three times as big as his old dorm at Garden. The beds were both doubles with royal blue comforters, beige carpeting underneath and large dressers beside them. A small chandelier hung from the ceiling and light fixtures were attached to walls. A fireplace sat in a wall with two stuffed blue chairs situated on a woven rug placed before it.

In one of the chairs sat a young man. He was probably about sixteen, with aqua-colored eyes and a shock of spiky blond hair that shot off in every direction. Squall could understand why he might have trouble with the other troops. He had a delicate look about him that screamed "easy target".

Cloud glanced up from a book to meet Squall's gaze. "Are you Squall?" he asked softly, his voice holding a tinge of nervousness. Probably afraid Squall would beat him up or something.

"Yes. Cloud?"

"Yeah."

Squall shifted uncomfortably in the entryway.

"Um, make yourself at home," Cloud gestured to the bed on the other side of the room.

Squall nodded, heading over to the bed. He placed his _Lionheart_ against the wall, his only possession aside from the clothes on his back. He would have to go into town soon and find some new ones.

He sat down on the bed, sinking into the downy mattress. Suddenly, he felt very tired. It was an exhaustion that penetrated all the way to his soul. Too much had happened in the past week. More than he knew he could bear.

He eased himself down and closed his eyes. Squall was asleep seconds later.

* * *

A week later, things were going smoothly. Squall had curbed a few beatings Cloud had almost been victim of, but so far there had been no other problems of that nature. All of the new recruits seemed to be adapting well to the new accommodations, and even Squall found himself enjoying all of the work. It kept his mind occupied.

His days consisted of drills and downtime, while most of the night he patrolled the southern wall with Cloud, Irvine and Zell.

"Did you see the look on that guy's face when Quistis turned him down?" Zell asked the group as they walked the walls.

"You bet. It was priceless! He was sure Quisty would say yes," Irvine chuckled.

Squall tuned them out and turned his gaze over the city below them. Lights glistened here and there, but at this hour, most were asleep. The night was comfortably cool with a soft breeze, and a full moon hung high overhead.

Rinoa would have liked it.

"Who's that?" Zell asked suddenly.

Squall turned to look down the other side of the wall, where the martial artist was pointing. A man was casually making his way from the castle to the soldier barracks. At this distance, all Squall could really note about him was the long silver hair that hung down to his thighs, and the ridiculously long katana that was sheathed at his side. It had to be longer than Squall was tall.

"His name is Sephiroth," Cloud supplied quietly. "He's a General, like Zack. One of Ansem's closest advisers."

"I've seen him around a few times, but not all that often," Irvine said.

"He does a lot of work out of town, or so they say," Cloud said. "Either way, he's not around very much."

"Huh," Zell muttered. "Well, what were you saying about Selphie?" he began again to Irvine.

"SQUALL LEONHART!"

Squall was at attention in an instant, his reflexes overriding any thoughts he might have had. When one's name was said in that tone of voice, it was best not to ignore it.

Unless that voice just so happened to belong to a certain Lea.

The redhead marched up behind the group with his chest held high, dressed in the uniform of the Royal Guard and wearing his hair in a low ponytail. He even had the air of a soldier. "Your presence is required at the castle this instant," he said, sounding all the world like a drill sergeant.

Squall dropped his pose immediately, opting instead to glare at the intruder. "Get out of here, Lea."

The 'officer' pulled a disbelieving look across his face. "Are you refusing a summons from Ansem himself?"

"No, I'm refusing a summons from an idiot like you," Squall growled.

"Um, Squall? He's a superior officer," Irvine pointed to the bars and badges that glittered on the uniform's lapel.

"No he isn't. He's an imposter. If we had any sense, we'd throw him off the wall."

"Squall, I really think you should just go with him," Zell said, his tone cautious. "He's got the marks."

Lea nodded. "A good idea, soldier."

"For the love of all things good, he is _not_ an officer!" Squall hissed, careful not to raise his voice. "He probably doesn't even work here."

The others blinked. "How do you know that?" Zell asked.

Lea interrupted Squall's reply by turning to Cloud. "Cloud Strife, am I an officer?"

Cloud blinked like a chocobo caught in the headlights. " Um, I'm not sure, sir-"

"You're not sure?" he demanded, leaning into the poor kid's face. "You're _not sure_? I asked you a simple question, soldier! Am I, or am I not an officer of the Royal Guard?"

Cloud sputtered for a moment before spitting out a hasty "Yes sir!"

Lea turned to Squall, a hint of his usual smug smile tugging on the corner of his lip. "See there? Now, come with me." Without another word, he turned on his heel and marched down the wall.

Squall glared at Cloud like this was somehow his fault, but didn't follow Lea. Zell and Irvine stared at him like he had lost his mind.

Irvine quirked an eyebrow.

Zell glanced after Lea pointedly.

Cloud looked a little lost.

With a pained sigh, Squall turned and followed after Lea. Cloud would have a lot more to worry about than ripped sheets and itching powder when Squall got back tonight. _If_ Squall got back tonight.

"What do you think you're doing?" Squall demanded when he caught up to Lea.

"I think I'm breaking into the castle's basement," the redhead said smoothly, all traces of his act gone. His stiff, military pose had been replaced with a slight slouch, and the stony face of a war-hardened warrior had been overrun by a smirk. "I also think that you're going to help me do it."

"Why me?" Squall asked crossly.

"I'm not sure. Must be your charming personality that just called to me."

Squall glared.

He just chuckled. "You seem to be the most . . . capable."

"Capable of what?"

"Now now, Squally. There'll be plenty of time for questions later. Right now, we've got a castle to infiltrate, right?"

Squall had to admit that he was vaguely curious about what was going on underneath the stronghold. If a man like Xehanort was involved, it probably wasn't anything good. But Squall was also wondering if it was worth risking his new career, and possibly his life, over.

Well, there was really only one way to find out.

Squall sighed. When had he become adventurous? It must have been Rinoa's doing. She had always tried to encourage him to be more outgoing and spontaneous.

The memory brought a ghost of a smile to his lips before other, more recent ones wiped it from his face.

Getting into the castle wasn't as hard as he had predicted it would be. The two guards, both of whom Squall recognized, let them pass without question or even a second glance. Either security was pathetic, or Lea was a very good con artist. Probably a little of both.

"Like candy from a baby," the redhead laughed as they walked down the middle of the hall. "Maybe next we should try breaking into the treasury."

Squall didn't feel the statement was worthy of a reply.

"What kind of security does the basement have?" the brunet asked. If he was going to do this, he may as well know what he was up against.

Lea shrugged. "Don't know."

"You don't _know_?" Squall hissed.

"No. Can't say I've ever been down there before."

"Then how do you know that anything bad is going on?"

Lea glanced around them, the first sign that he might actually be on the lookout for any castle residents. "You know that guy you just saw outside? With the freakishly long hair?" he asked in a quiet, serious voice. When Squall nodded, he continued. "Well, he disappears into that basement for days at a time. When he comes out, he looks. . . different. Strange. It's hard to explain. Then there are the rumors…"

"What rumors?"

"Something about hearts and shadows. It's the hearts that have me interested, though."

"Why?"

"All in good time. For now, let's just see for ourselves what's going on in that basement."

Squall wasn't sure what to think, or even why he was here. Lea seemed to think something was amiss, but what did it concern Squall? He felt no sense of loyalty to this world or it's people, only to people of his world.

But if this was something that could hurt them…well, it would be a good idea to find out what was going on down there, wouldn't it?

It wasn't long before Lea had led him to an older, darker section of the castle. The fixtures and furniture all seemed to be a bit more weathered, and the carpet a bit more worn and faded. The only light came from the windows, spilling moonlight onto the floor like liquid silver.

They finally came to a halt in a small library. A large marble top desk took up one wall of the room, while a massive hearth took up the opposite one. There was no light in the room, so it was difficult for Squall to make out anything else.

"Come on, it can't be this cliché," Lea chuckled.

Squall turned to look at him, barely making out his silhouette in the dimness. "What?"

"The library? I mean, really!" he laughed aloud. "It's always the library! Now all we have to do is find the bust of Ansem that triggers the sliding bookcase."

Squall toed the rug at their feet, flipping the corner to reveal a trapdoor. "Or we could just try this."

Lea gave him a deadpan look. "Killjoy," he muttered. He bent down and carefully lifted the lid. It opened silently, revealing a dark staircase. "Looks cozy," he commented before turning his emerald eyes to Squall. They glittered mischievously in the dimness. "Who goes first?"

* * *

Silly Lea. Next chapter, we shall see what trouble he drags Squall into XD Hope they don't get shot...

For those interested, my granddad is scheduled to have surgery on Tuesday to remove a tumor. That'll be the week that an update probably won't happen, so that's why this chapter was a bit longer. I'm kinda trying to make up for it...

I hope everyone has a splendid week, and I look forward to hearing from you all in your reviews (pwease? :D)!

God Bless,

-RainFlame


	6. Chapter 6

Hello, readers! Welcome all to chapter six! :D

**NebraeExbaren:** Lol there shall be much more Cloud abuse ahead! And Lea only claimed to be a cook, but Squall decided it was a lie ^-^ So far he's more of a...well, a creeper XD And thanks! Due to complications, they decided not to remove it, but went straight to chemo. Thank you for your prayers :)

**Evil Stormsister:** Cloud has something of a key role in this. Kind of *shifty eyes*. And, um, you're Lea theory? I'll tell you in, oh, four more chapters or so XD And all the reminiscing is thanks to you pointing it out! I just have to try to think of Squall being broodier than usual XD And thank you for your prayers :) My whole family appreciates it.

Important Note: I haven't played Birth by Sleep or 358/2 Days, so this obviously won't coincide with it. Not to mention I doubt Squall is even in those games...

Not-So-Important Note: Do you ever have one of those days when you couldn't remember how to do something to save your life? Well, the past two weeks have been like that for me in the area of punctuation. I apologize in advance and have re-read multiple times, so I think I've gotten everything. But if you find errors, let me know! Woe is me. I have no beta.

On we go! XD

* * *

The stair well was dark to say the least as Squall lead them downward, heading toward a faint glow that traveled from some entrance or another deep in the basement. Lea had taken great care to make it look like no one had entered the trap door by flipping the rug over it before closing it. Despite that, Squall began to feel uneasy. Of course, he had every right to be. He was in an unfamiliar place filled with unfamiliar enemies and had a nutcase for a guide. It would be enough to make anyone paranoid.

But maybe that's all it was: paranoia. After all, the only thing he knew for sure about Ansem's scientists were that they looked like trouble. He had no proof they were up to anything devious or harmful.

Then again, that's why he was down here, wasn't it? Proof.

Squall felt his way down until he reached flat ground. Up ahead, a pool of light spilled from an open doorway, illuminating a long hallway with several other darkened entrances that branched off from it. He treaded forward cautiously, making each step silent and careful. Silent, at least, until Lea tripped on the last stair and ran into him. Squall staggered forward, his boots slapping awkwardly on the aluminum floor as he struggled to regain his balance, then he fell against the wall with a thud.

"What was that?" a voice called from somewhere in the basement.

The two men froze. Squall's pulse quickened, the blood pounding deafeningly in his ears as he tried to formulate a plan of action. Before he could act, however, Lea came up behind him, grabbing his arm and taking off down the hallway. They raced past the lighted doorway then dove into a dark room.

And face to face with a pair of glowing yellow eyes.

The _Lionheart_ was in his hands in an instant. In that same instant, he realized there were at least twenty more pairs of the same golden eyes. But Lea, instead of being alarmed, batted Squall's weapon away and made a shushing gesture with his hand. It finally registered that the shadows were in cages. In the dim light, Squall could see that they were stacked high all around the walls, dozens of writhing, clawing, silent shadows.

But there were other, more pressing concerns to be dealt with.

Reluctantly, Squall turned his back on the beast and followed Lea behind a pile of equipment. Squall couldn't even begin to guess at the functions of the various machines, but as long as it provided cover, he didn't really care.

"Are you sure you weren't just hearing things?" a different voice asked from the hallway, close to their hiding place. Squall recognized the voice as belonging to Even. He remembered it from the week before; the condescending, impatient tones of the self-important.

"I guess it could have been the Heartless," the first voice conceded. That voice was most certainly Ienzo's. It sounded too young to belong to anyone else.

"The Heartless don't make noise, you nitwit," Even said gruffly. "Come on. We can't leave experiment twenty-one alone for long."

Squall listened intently to the fading footsteps as the two scientists retreated down the hall. Finally, when he could hear nothing more, he turned to Lea. "What are Heartless?"

The redhead gave him a strange look. "These things," he explained, pointing at a cage behind them. The black creature within it was small, no more than three feet high, with a rounded head that sported twitching antennae and a mouthful of black, sharp teeth. Its golden eyes were fixed on Squall as it reached clawed paws toward him from inside the plastic walls of the cage.

Actually, every Heartless in the room seemed to be staring at him.

"Why are they called Heartless?" Squall asked as he stared the creature down. They were the same kind of creatures that Rinoa had summoned…

"Well, I thought it was obvious," Lea responded with his usual smirk. "They don't got a heart. Unfortunately, they feel the only way to remedy that is to eat yours."

Squall had witnessed that firsthand. "Why do they have them?" he demanded. Creatures like that…they had no business being alive.

"Probably their sick experiments, don't you think?" Lea said, not appearing at all concerned about the anger in Squall's voice. "Let's go find out." He glided past Squall and headed for the doorway. Squall followed, turning to give the creatures one last contemptuous glare before exiting.

They stayed silent as they traveled through the darkened corridors, only lit by the occasional wall-mounted lamp here and there. The whole place had a sterile, dark feel that Squall couldn't really explain. Almost like a battlefield of sorts, but without even that level of security. He didn't understand it and he didn't like it. The walls, floor and ceiling were varying shades of white. The few rooms they had visited all told the same story: laboratories or storage rooms filled with medical and scientific-looking equipment. Several rooms had Heartless in clear containers stacked around the walls. Others had caged animals of varying species, many of which looked sickly or rabid.

But that paled in comparison to the last room they visited.

Upon initial inspection, it looked like any of the other labs. Lea was even about to pass it by until Squall stopped. "Wait," he said softly, reaching out with a gloved hand to turn on the light switch.

This room felt…different. Squall wasn't sure why until he saw the bloodied cells on the other side of the room. Cells designed to hold humans.

Suddenly, other things began to stand out: the operating tables with shackles placed to human proportions, the human X-rays that hung on the lighted panel, the human heart in a jar on the table…

Squall had seen many things in his time as a mercenary, but human experimentation? That took the cake.

He was beginning to feel sick. He had seen all he needed to see to go to the other room and execute the murderous scum responsible and still sleep well afterward, such was the righteous anger burning through his veins.

"Not a good plan."

Squall turned on Lea in disbelief. The redhead didn't sound upset by this. He was surveying the room like he might the guest room of a friend's house, with calm curiosity. Not horror, not anger, but _curiosity_. "We can't let them continue this," Squall hissed.

Lea didn't respond, but stepped forward into the room. He examined the X-rays closely, rifled through a few charts, then picked up the preserved heart.

"_Lea_," Squall snapped.

"We don't know what's going on here, Squall." For the first time, Lea sounded stern, though he kept his eyes on the heart in his hands. "We don't know if the people that have been through here volunteered for this, or maybe they're war criminals, or murderers looking for some payroll."

"You think they volunteered to be locked up in those cells?"

Lea fixed him with an even look. "We can't go in there and cut them down in cold blood and be any better than they are."

So the man did have some kind of conscience? A fine time for it to make an appearance, when Squall wanted nothing more than to strangle the life out of Even. "What do you suggest we do, then?" he demanded. "We can't just sit by while people die."

"Who says anyone's dead?" Lea asked. "We don't know that."

"You can't live without a heart," Squall snarled, gesturing to the organ in the jar.

Lea shrugged. "Depends on the heart."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means we shouldn't jump to conclusions." He moved over behind a corner and out of Squall's sight. "Come have a look at this," he called.

Squall begrudgingly obeyed and was surprised at what he found.

There were three glass containers lined against the small section of wall, giant test tubes that reached from the ground to the ceiling. Hovering inside were three pink, crystal-like hearts spinning gently in the air. Squall was relived to find that they weren't human hearts, but were instead the symbol usually used to represent love, like those paper cutouts that used to be so popular in Garden on Valentine's Day.

That being said, Squall also remembered a Heartless pulling one out of a cadet's chest. "What are they?"

"Hearts," Lea replied. At the look Squall gave him, he smirked. "No, not the organ, exactly. More like a…a symbolic and physical representation of the soul, I guess."

He still remembered the look on that cadet's face..."It's not the heart?" he asked quietly.

"Not technically," he said, gazing intently at the objects. "But you know all that stuff the heart represents? Passion, love, feeling, hate, darkness? That's what this is. The essence of someone is contained in each of these."

Squall turned his eyes back to the hearts. "Can you survive? Without a heart?"

Lea shrugged. "It's been done before, or so they say."

They continued to stare at the floating hearts for a few more minutes before Lea finally shifted. "Let's get back above ground," he suggested. "We'll figure out what to do from there." He turned around and left.

Squall glanced at the hearts once more before following.

* * *

Squall returned to his dorm in the early morning, hours past curfew and feeling worn and exhausted. The night's events had taken a bigger tole on him than he had realized. He was surprised to find Cloud gone when he arrived, but the thought soon fled his mind. He barely managed to remove his boots before he fell back into his bed and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Hmm...Cloud's gone, huh? Interesting XD

I have lost reviewers! Have I done something wrong? .-. If I have, please tell me! I'd love any opportunity to make this story the best it can be!

Have a great week, and see you in chapter seven :D

God Bless,

-RainFlame


	7. Chapter 7

Hello to all! :D Sorry this chapter took me a while to turn out. It was giving me fits XP But all is well, now, and the next chapter is almost done, too! ^-^

Special thanks goes to KMSaum for beta-ing this chapter :)

**SuperSorrel007:** Thank you for all your kind words! And I think I'm having more fun writing this than ya'll are reading it XD But I'm glad you're enjoying it, and thanks for the prayers :)

**NebraeExbaren: **Lol Lea is a total creeper. He just...knows things *shifty eyes*. But we shall find Cloud soon! But it won't be for a few chapters ;_; Poor Cloudy. And thank you for the prayers!

**Evil Stormsister:** Hahaha that's about as gruesome of an image as my poor sheltered mind could conjure up XD But if you have ideas about how it could be more gruesome (and it doesn't make me gag lol) then be sure to tell me and I'll go back and see if I can make some changes ;) And next chapter, pretty sure you'll find out about Lea XD

**KMSaum:** Lol I have a lot to address here XD Um, well, the Nobodies' info came from the "official" KH wiki online and what little I could glean from the games. And maybe that's what was wrong with that chapter...I'll have to go back and look to see if I can change anything...after this is all done, of course. And I really do enjoy how Lea and Squall are total opposites XD makes them fun to write. And yeah, that bit of punctuation does help XD I'll just have to muster up the willpower to go back and change it now XDDD Lazy me. Finally, thank you for your prayers, and thank you so so so much for helping me out with this chapter! Can't wait 'till you update your fics :)

Enjoy! :D

* * *

Squall woke up late the next morning, groggy after the night he had had and eager to remedy that with coffee. He sat up slowly and glanced at the bed next to his.

Cloud was still gone.

Squall frowned at that. As far as he had gathered, Cloud wasn't one to stay out late, aside from the days they had night shift, nor was he an early riser. When they had no assignments in the mornings, he'd usually sleep until the early afternoon, much to Squall's dismay.

Maybe he had some kind of special assignment….

Squall shook the notion from his mind. He would just ask Irvine or Zell about it at lunch.

He took his time showering and grooming, then pulled out a clean set of clothes before making his way to the mess hall.

As usual, the hall was packed with loud, ravenous soldiers. The night shift crew, like himself, was arriving for their first meal, while the day shift was already on their second. He scanned the rows of tables for the familiar shock of spiky blond hair, but to no avail. He did, however, spy a familiar cowboy hat on the far side.

Squall loaded his tray and headed across the room. The table held mostly former Garden students and SeeDs, several of which greeted Squall with nods and smiles as he arrived and slid into an empty chair by Zell.

Zell, his mouth full of hot dog, said something.

Squall frowned. "What?"

"I think he said 'Morning, Squall'," Irvine supplied with a grin as he cut into his food. "I've tried to teach him manners, but it's hopeless," he sighed.

Zell began some kind of rant, but since his words were unintelligible, he was ignored. "Do you know where Cloud is?" Squall asked instead.

Irvine frowned. "He left shift early last night. Said something about having to check on something. Why? Did he not come in last night?"

Squall shook his head. "Haven't seen him at all."

"Which reminds," Zell said, after finally swallowing his food. "What did Ansem want last night?"

Should he tell them? Naturally it would be beneficial to have their opinions and their support, but not now, in a place with so many eyes and ears. After all, spying on Ansem's closest could be considered treason. "I'll tell you later," he said instead.

"Hey, Squall!"

_Blast_.

Laguna set his tray down beside him, with Selphie and Quistis on his other side and across the table. "How was patrol last night?" he asked, eagerly diving into his heaping portions of chocobo casserole.

"Fine," Squall replied irritably.

"See?" Selphie stage whispered to Laguna. "Told you he wasn't a morning person."

"It's not morning," Quistis said.

"He just woke up, so it still applies!"

Squall shot them a glare, but didn't comment. He was about to continue his conversation with Zell and Irvine before he was interrupted.

"We, how was _your_ patrol last night?" Laguna asked the martial artist. "Any better than Squall's?"

Well, it was pointless to try to discuss anything with Laguna around. Honestly, did he ever shut up?

Squall finished the rest of his meal as quickly as he dared before excusing himself and leaving the room. He would see if General Fair knew anything about Cloud's whereabouts. If he was sent on a mission of some kind, Zack would know about it.

"Squall, wait up!"

Now what? He turned around to see Laguna hurrying down the hallway to catch up to him.

"What do you want?" Squall asked.

Laguna slowed and walked past him, as if encouraging Squall to keep walking. What was he doing? Squall fell into step beside him as they headed away from the noisy mess hall.

"I was just wondering how you're holding up," he said quietly, like he anticipated Squall's usual hostility on such topics.

It came, too, though Squall tried to rein it in. "I'm fine."

"Don't lie to me, Squall." It was more of a plea than any kind of order. "You're not the same. You look…beaten. Like your light's gone."

Funny. That's exactly how he felt.

"You expect me to act the same?" he asked, his tone dark and dangerous, daring Laguna to accuse him further. "You go on like nothing's happened, but nothing's the same. It'll never be the same."

Laguna rounded on him, forcing Squall to stop in the middle of the hallway. "I know that, Squall, but I also know that you can't live like this. Even the others are saying you've been more distant than usual, like you were before you knew her. Just because she's gone you're shutting everyone out again."

Squall didn't say anything. Maybe his silence would convince Laguna to leave him alone. He didn't want to talk about this, not with him or anyone else.

"Squall, I know what it's like. When I lost Raine-"

"_Don't_ compare my situation with yours," he snarled in such a tone that Laguna took a step back.

But in the same breath, Squall realized something that startled him: he and Laguna were the same.

Laguna had left Raine in Winhill to fulfill his duties in Esthar, never even hearing that his wife was sick until after her death, and only learning of Squall's existence seventeen years later.

Squall, in essence, had done the same thing. Throughout their marriage he and Rinoa had lived in the same suite at Garden, but they couldn't have been further apart. Squall had worked long hours, only making it home in time to tell her goodnight and waking up long before she did. They would have lunch together sometimes, but that was all Squall could ever manage to make time for. He could easily see how much she wanted him around, how lonely she was. He would even promise himself that he would take her out soon, just the two of them, or take a vacation together. He never did, though. For all intents and purposes, she died just as alone as Raine had.

And to make it all worse, his negligence had not only cost her life but the lives of millions. She had depended on him to be her strength, her protection. Her Knight.

For all of his beliefs that he and Laguna were nothing alike, all of his self-righteous indignities, he had been very wrong. He and Laguna were the same, only Squall's transgressions were far worse.

"We're just all really worried, Squall," Laguna said gently. "Rinoa brought something good out of you, you know? She wouldn't want you to lose it just because she's not here."

Squall couldn't say anything. He couldn't get words past the lump in his throat. Instead, he pushed past Laguna. It was like Laguna had put a hole in the dam that Squall had so carefully constructed around a portion of his mind; the portion that would rather have him crying like a child right now than forcing himself to carry forward. A flood of guilt washed over him, guilt and pain and sorrow. Thankfully, the older man didn't try to stop him. Squall couldn't talk about this now, not so soon and certainly not in light of this new discovery. If he tried now, he would drown in his guilt.

He had to find Cloud. He couldn't get lost in his own remorse and self-loathing. What if something had happened to him? A prank gone too far?

As much as he tried to force his mind off thoughts of Rinoa, her memory was always there, a flicker in the corner of his eye, a whisper in the breeze.

Find Cloud.

He continued down the hall, leaving Laguna behind and desperately trying to leave his memories behind with him.

* * *

He knocked on the door with a firm hand, eager to see Zack to both occupy his mind and put his fears at ease.

"Come in!" Zack's voice called brightly from the other side.

Squall opened the door but almost halted mid-step when he saw the occupants of the room. Zack sat in his desk with papers strewn haphazardly across its surface, along with a few personal items and a vase with a single yellow flower in it. Standing beside him was a man with acid-green eyes, sharp features and long silver hair. Sephiroth.

They locked eyes for a moment, each seeming to size the other up. Sephiroth's gaze held more of an aloof curiosity than anything, but Squall detected a subtle irritation beneath the casual look. Whatever they had been talking about, Sephiroth wasn't happy with being interrupted.

"Hey, Squall! What can I do for you?" Zack asked in his usual cheerful voice, kicking back in his chair and lacing his fingers behind his head.

Squall tore his gaze from Sephiroth's to respond. "I'm here to ask about Cloud."

Zack frowned in concern. "Cloud? What's wrong with him?"

So Zack didn't know. "I don't know. He didn't come back to the dorms last night."

"Cloud Strife was transferred."

Squall and Zack both turned to stare at Sephiroth, both equally surprised. "What are you talking about, Seph?" Zack asked in bewilderment.

The silver haired General turned to look out the window to the training grounds below. "I requested that Ansem allow him to be transferred," he informed in a deep baritone. "He is now under my command. You should be receiving the official notice within the day."

Squall was immediately suspicious. What would Sephiroth want with Cloud? Squall wasn't going to sugar coat it; Cloud was a bit of a wimp. He was far too gentle to make very far it in the military, and Squall wouldn't exactly call him an asset to anything. There was no reason for him to be transferred. Especially since all of his belongings were still in their room.

"May I speak with him?" Squall asked, already knowing the answer, but wanting to make sure he didn't overlook anything.

"I'm afraid that's impossible," Sephiroth replied, once again turning back around to meet Squall's gaze. Squall didn't like what he saw in those icy green eyes. "Strife has been moved to an outpost on the other side of Radiant Garden. If you want to speak with him, you will have to talk with Lord Ansem." Something in his voice told Squall that that would be a pointless endeavor.

Maybe Lea was on to something after all.

"Thank you, sirs," Squall said in a neutral tone. An outpost on the other side of Radiant Garden, he said? Well, Squall didn't need official permission to take a ride through town in his downtime, did he? He would like to see this outpost for himself.

* * *

Squall half expected it by now, so it came as no real surprise when another chocobo soon joined his as he rode through the street.

"Didn't I tell you there was something funny going on?" Lea asked. Once again he wore his red sweater and boots and allowed his long spiky mane to hang freely behind him.

Where did he get all of this information? "I believe you," Squall said. "I'm going to check out this outpost of theirs and find Cloud."

"Did you ever think to consider that maybe Sephy was lying?" Lea asked as he maneuvered his chocobo around a throng of children running through the streets.

"Of course he's lying."

That seemed to confuse him. "So why are we headed there, again?"

"Because I need to know what he's lying about."

Lea laughed aloud, startling Squall and a few pedestrians around them. "Well, then, let's find out."

Lea took them to an old rundown facility in a seemingly deserted section of the town. They rode around the building to get a feel for the area and hopefully discover an easy way in. Unfortunately, they found that it was completely enclosed by a twenty-foot stone fence and sported coiled barbed wire along the top to discourage climbers. Getting in was going to be a pain.

They tethered their chocobos a few blocks away to avoid detection and to get a better look around the area. Most of the other buildings around them were stone warehouses with missing shingles on the roofs and broken windows. Not a soul was in sight, which Squall found both comforting and unnerving.

"What's that smell?" Squall asked, referring to the strange, pungent odor that seemed to permeate the air.

"They call it Mako," Lea explained.

"What is it?" Squall asked as he examined the wall. A painted sign on it claimed the building was a military facility and property of the ruler Ansem.

"It's derived from the life force of the planet, or so they say. I know they used to use it in their soldiers about fifty years ago, but it's been banned because of some…nasty side effects. Mostly mental instability, personality changes, things like that. Doesn't seem like the stink of it ever fades, either," Lea added as an afterthought. He turned his gaze up the wall. "Looks like we're in for a swell time."

"The gate's locked up. Do you know another way in?" Squall asked.

Lea grinned. "Of course I do. This way, please," he said in a chipper voice meant to sound like a tour guide. Squall grimaced before following him around the building.

Lea lead him to a section of wall with what appeared to be a watchtower just on the other side of it. Ventilation shafts protruded slightly about halfway up the wall. They were easily large enough for an average-sized man to get into, but they were still over ten feet above their heads. Why was nothing ever easy?

"Great," Squall muttered. "How do we get up there?" he asked Lea as the redhead looked around the area.

"Patience, Squally," Lea chastised absently. Just when Squall thought the man was becoming bearable.

"Don't call me that," Squall growled, also surveying the area for something to help them get up there. His eyes fell on a length of woven rope that was wrapped around a pipe on a nearby building. He wasn't sure if it had a function or if it was just for decorative purposes, but since the building appeared abandoned, he didn't have much of a problem cutting it free with his gunblade and unwinding it.

"Nicely done, Squall," Lea commented, snatching the materiel from Squall's gloved hand. Squall scowled but didn't say anything as the redhead tied a noose on the end and roped the shaft in one try like some kind of professional chocobo wrangler. That was…somewhat impressive.

"Where did you learn how to do that?" Squall asked casually as Lea secured the rope.

"Like I said, I break in the royal chocobos," he grinned.

"You said you were the chef."

Lea paused a moment in thought, then shrugged. "Close enough." He glanced up to view his work. "Looks safe. Guess it's only fair that I go first this time, hmm?"

Squall watched as the taller man wrapped his hands around the rope and began to hoist himself up. When he reached the shaft, he gripped the rope tightly with his left hand and with the other pulled a long knife that had been hidden somewhere on his person. In one quick move, he pried the grate off and sent it sailing down. Right over Squall's head.

Squall just managed to spin out of the way before it smashed to the ground. He sent an accusing glare upward at Lea, who only laughed before sliding through the opening he had made.

Squall muttered under his breath as he grabbed the swinging rope and began to pull himself up in Lea's wake. He was halfway up when he heard the scream.

* * *

*gasps* what was that? What happened? Is that Lea screaming?

Guess you have to wait until next chapter to find out XD

Lol I hope you all are enjoying this as much as I am ^-^ Please review, and have a fantabulous week next week! :) To all Americans: Happy Fourth! Everyone else can have a happy fourth, too, by the way ;)

God Bless,

-RainFlame


	8. Chapter 8

Hello, readers! Welcome to chapter eight!

**Evil StormSister:** Good XD KMSaum helped me work out the kinks in that conversation, so she deserves half the credit :) And Sephy _is _scary! But that's what makes him so cool, I suppose. And his hair, which I am jealous of...And that's a good idea. I may have to go insert something in there with a flashback or something ^.^

**Jennypen**: Aww, I'm glad you're enjoying it! Thanks for the well-wishes for my grandfather :) And Lea is awesome, isn't he? XD

**NebraeExbaren:** Haha I always have to look four times to make sure I'm spelling your pen name right. Even then, I'm sure I've messed it up several times XD And no, Hojo is not involved *shudders* but his captors may be just as nasty...Yes, poor poor Cloud ;_; I am so abusive to the characters XD

Holy Moses this chapter is long o.o Special thanks again to KMSaum for another brilliant editing job :)

* * *

Squall clambered up the rope a lot faster than would be considered safe. He heard the distinctive sounds of a fight on the other side of the wall. His heart pounded in his chest and his breathing accelerated. He dove into the shaft head first, crawling through the cobweb-infested space and falling hard on his shoulder in the small room.

There stood Lea, two large chakrams in his hands and a pile of black dust at his feet. The room was a lot warmer than it should have been and Squall could still see wafts of smoke in the air from some kind of fire spell. He scanned the room but didn't see any other threats.

"What happened?" Squall demanded as he picked himself up and dusted the grime from his clothes.

"Some dumb Heartless came at me out of nowhere," Lea said breathlessly, resting his weapon-laden hands on his knees. "I'll admit, I didn't see that one coming."

Squall paused a moment to take this in. "There are Heartless here? Loose Heartless?"

"It looked like it was alone. If it had friends, they'd be on us by now," the redhead said, rising to his full height. As high as he got in a slouch, anyway. "This tower's been deserted for a while," he said, gesturing to a set of dusty chairs with a chakram.

Squall took a moment to look around. The room was small and circular with wide windows set fairly high in the wall and three chairs for the occupants. His eyes, however, soon trailed back to the weapons in Lea's hand. There was no way he could have been carrying them on his person. They were at least three feet in diameter, if you included the dangerously sharp spikes along the outer rim.

"Where did you get those?" Squall asked. But as he finished his question, Lea lifted the weapons out to his side, where they vanished in a spark of flame and a burst of smoke.

Lea turned to regard Squall innocently. "Get what?" he blinked with big emerald eyes.

Squall narrowed his eyes. "Answer the question, Lea."

"Temper temper, Squally!" Lea held up his hands in a placating gesture. "Look, I know I've got some explaining to do, but it'll have to wait until we get through this place. There're probably more Heartless around here somewhere."

Squall frowned at him before nodding once. "I expect some answers when we get out of here," he said in warning. He was tired of being in the dark about everything, including Lea and his motives.

"You'll get your answers," the redhead smirked. "Though you may not like what you find," he added cryptically.

Squall shook his head. "Let's get down there and find out what this place is," he said, turning to the exit and heading down the musty stairway.

The area inside of the gates consisted of a large expanse of dirt before reaching the actual facility. Like the wall, the building was stone with a large wooden door. From the looks of the rusted training equipment off to the side, this probably had once been the base Sephiroth claimed it was. Now, however, there was nothing but decay.

Still, there had to be something going on here if there were Heartless around.

"How could Heartless just move around in here freely and not get out?" Squall asked as they approached the building.

"Beats me. Unless the king's lackeys have found a way to contain them. Which was, technically, what they were supposed to be doing in the first place, since it's their fault they're loose," Lea replied with a trace of irritation in his voice.

"Their fault?" Squall repeated.

Lea looked at him like he was daft. "Yeah. Ansem and Xehanort created the Heartless."

They…_created_ them? Squall's world was destroyed in the name of science? Rinoa _died_ for their _science_?

"It was just supposed to be some experiment with hearts," Lea continued, oblivious of Squall's rising anger. "Somehow, though, they got a Heartless out of it. Don't ask how it happened, 'cause I couldn't explain it if I tried.

"Well, the thing went on a killing spree, taking hearts and multiplying through the whole city. It wasn't until Sephiroth and Zack came along and destroyed most of them that people were able to come out of their homes again. Zack was even promoted to General for helping to save the day."

"But there are Heartless still loose," Squall said darkly.

"And spreading through the worlds. Lucky we have Ansem to tighten their leash, huh?" he asked with sarcasm. "Word in the castle is that he shut down the labs a few days ago. Seems his conscience is finally getting to him. Five months later, but I guess better late than never."

Squall frowned. "But they were there last night."

"Xehanort doesn't play by the rules," Lea shrugged.

As Squall's eyes once again returned to the fortress in front of them, he halted in his tracks. Lea noticed at about the same time and froze, too.

The hairs on Squall's neck rose on end as he looked at the door. It was unlocked and slightly ajar, chains dangling from their connections and swinging gently in the breeze.

"It's a trap," Squall whispered, his hand reaching for his gunblade. So, Sephiroth had known Squall wouldn't just take his word for it. He knew Squall would come looking and left the front door open.

"Guess they wanted us good and trapped inside the walls," Lea muttered.

"Why?" Squall asked. "What do they want with us?"

"Maybe they've decided we know too much," Lea suggested.

"You should get out of here. They don't know you're here yet."

Lea smirked. "Oh, they know alright." He gestured with a cock of his head toward the roof high above. Squall just made out the faint glint of the sun off metal before it disappeared.

"Should we run?" Squall asked. Lea knew their enemies and the circumstances better than he did, and Squall wasn't going to stick around if they were just going to be slaughtered. He was a soldier, but that certainly didn't make him suicidal.

"It's too late for that," Lea said, smirk still firmly in place, but his eyes were hard. "Well, guess we should see what they want, hmm? It's rude to keep people waiting, you know," he said as he ambled forward with smooth, careless steps.

Squall followed, but much more cautiously. He brought his weapon up, holding it ready in his hands. He had no intention of being taken by surprise again.

The inside was much like the watchtower, except the dust that had settled on the floor had been disturbed by several sets of footprints. Best as he could tell, there were at least three people here, if not more. At least two sets went off down the left corridor, while one went to the right.

Lea had begun following the dual set, but Squall grabbed the sleeve of his sweater, gesturing to the footprints below and turning to follow the lone one. The odds would be more in their favor going against one, not to mention there would be no one to sneak up behind them when they confronted the others.

Squall hated places like these, with so many twists and turns, tight stairways, and the way every sound magnified and echoed back against the stone walls. The only lights inside were several dimly lit fixtures on the walls, but those were few and far between, leaving them almost constantly in the dark. And with the threat of Heartless, the last place Squall wanted to be was in the dark.

Squall froze as he heard a familiar, disconcerting sound: a portal opening.

Speak of the devil, and the devil shall appear.

Five sets of golden eyes surrounded them. In the darkness, that was all he could really see. He felt Lea press himself against his back, and in the burst of sparks that occurred as Lea summoned his chakrams, Squall could make out the writhing bodies of the monsters.

"Look who came out to play," Lea said, a grin in his voice. "Who's their master, I wonder? Xehanort?" he yelled into the darkness.

"Shut up, Lea!" Squall snapped. The idiot was going to draw every Heartless in the building right on them.

"What? It's not like they're here on their own. They're not even attacking us. Someone's got their leash."

Lea was right. The Heartless were just holding, eyes eager but unmoving. Heartless didn't seem to have the intellect required for self-control. Which meant they were probably being _forcibly_ controlled…

"Very good, Lea," a voice sounded out from the darkness. Squall turned his head marginally, trying to keep one eye on the Heartless and allow the other to confirm what his ears told him, but it was too dark to make out anything. "You may be smarter than I gave you credit for."

There was a burst of fiery light from behind him as Lea lit something ablaze, illuminating the entire hallway they stood in. Braig winced against the onslaught, but his smile remained in place as he leveled his lance at the both of them.

"Well, well, if it isn't Ansem's loyal attack dog," Lea drawled, if anything sounding more excited than concerned. "And what do we owe this pleasure?"

Braig smiled, like a cat toying with a mouse. "You two are starting to become a nuisance, what with your little break in last night."

They knew?

Seeing Squall's look, Braig's grin widened. "I myself saw you enter and saw you leave. I wonder what you saw down there…but no matter. Either way, you know too much."

"So, going to kill us?" Lea questioned. "Or maybe try to incorporate us into your little operation?"

Braig's smile turned sour. "As much as I'd love to dispose of you, Xehanort has different plans."

"Why don't you just kill us now?" Lea asked, his voice taking on an edge that Squall didn't understand. It wasn't hysteria, but something close.

Braig chuckled. "You'd like that, wouldn't you?" he asked. "I wonder if you've told Squall all about the fun we've had."

Squall frowned. It had been obvious that they had had some kind of history together, but Squall didn't know the extent of any of it. He hoped his ignorance on the subject wouldn't cost him his life. He would have to demand answers to all of his questions when they got out of here.

_If_ they got out of here.

"Come on, Braig, why you taking orders from Xehanort? He's just a punk kid with weird hair and a bad attitude," Lea said in a conspiring tone. "You've got the experience. Why aren't you running this ship?"

"Shut up, Lea," the older man growled, narrowing his eyes. "Do you think I'm stupid?"

"Do you want an honest answer?"

"I said shut up!" Braig snapped. "You come here with your jokes and your fire, hoping to find what you lost and leading your friend on a wild chocobo chase. You know very well that Cloud isn't here. You were just hoping to get one more chance at it, weren't you?"

What was he talking about? One more chance at what? What exactly had Lea gotten Squall into?

Squall was starting to regret not asking Irvine along as well. It seemed that he could have used the back up.

"So what if I was?" Lea asked, the edge gone and a flippant tone replacing it. "I just want what's mine."

"Well, I certainly pity the man that calls you 'friend'," Braig scoffed. "Have you asked Squall how he feels about being dragged along on your fool's errand?"

"That's quite enough, Braig," a smooth voice intoned.

Xehanort stepped out of the shadows, closely followed by Aeleus and Dilan. "I must apologize for my comrade's behavior. He can be rather rude," he said, crossing his arms over his chest as he stepped past Braig, now no more than a foot out of Squall's striking distance and just behind the ring of Heartless.

"What do you want?" Squall asked darkly. The word games and insincere pleasantries were starting to grow old.

A thin smile played across Xehanort's lips, making him look all the more serpentine. "Not one for small talk, I see. Well, then, I'll cut right to the point.

"Our plans are of a very delicate nature, Squall. You and Lea snooping around…well, that doesn't bode well for our work. We rely on secrecy to accomplish all we need to."

"Secrecy?" Lea asked. "That doesn't sound like it has Ansem's stamp of approval."

Xehanort's face contorted in mild disgust. "I'm afraid that our ruler is a coward, without vision or foresight. The work we do holds power; the power to really discover the workings of the human heart, both the lighter side and the dark."

"What good does that do anyone?" Squall demanded.

"Well, mostly it satisfies curiosity. But one never knows all the uses of a discovery until the discovery is made, do they?" Xehanort asked.

Squall hated scientists. "We just came here to find Cloud. Give him to us and we'll leave you in peace." He knew good and well that Cloud wasn't there, but it seemed like it might be the best excuse. Maybe if they didn't realize they were there for information, they would tell them where the blond grunt was and let them all go.

Unfortunately, things are never that simple.

"You didn't just want Cloud last night, did you?" Xehanort asked, that awful smile still in place. "No, I'm afraid this won't be that easy to remedy. We could use another subject in our final test tonight, so your options are this: help us, or you must die."

"Don't be such a drama queen," Lea mocked. "Where do you get the audacity to use such clichéd lines?"

"You never could learn to keep your mouth shut, could you?" Xehanort asked. "You would make such a powerful ally, if only you could learn to respect your betters. What about you, Squall?" He turned his yellow, burning gaze on to him

"Are you crazy?" Lea demanded. "Why would Squall want to join your merry band of lunatics?"

Xehanort continued as if he hadn't been interrupted. "Would you like a place in history? Be a part of the ultimate scientific breakthrough that could change all we know about control of the human heart? Even learn to unlock the power of darkness in your own heart?"

Lea was right; Xehanort was crazy.

Well, Squall certainly wasn't about to become some whitecoat's guinea pig. And he wasn't just going to sit there while he was executed.

A split second after Xehanort had finished speaking, Squall moved. He cut _Lionheart_ in an arc, decapitating two Heartless and almost managing to take Xehanort's head with it until the scientist raised a long dagger with stunning speed to block the strike.

As if it had been planned, Lea acted in tandem, casting some kind of fire spell that sent a line of flame through the enemy, effectively dividing the scientists from the two intruders and the three remaining Heartless. Squall squinted past the heat and the curtain of fire, but couldn't make out Xehanort or his companions.

Now that they were visually cutoff from their master, the creatures didn't hesitate to attack, striking out with talons and teeth and meeting their end against a spike or a blade.

"Let's go! The fire won't hold them up long!" Lea shouted over the roar of the inferno. Squall complied quickly, following the other man down the hallways now illuminated by dancing flames.

Soon, though, they left the light behind and were once again traveling through the darkness. Squall was having a hard time keeping oriented in the blackness, and at these speeds, the lamps that appeared on the walls every so often only served to disorient him further. Somehow, he managed to stay on his feet. A glow up ahead told Squall that they were nearing the entrance.

Someone stepped out in front of them.

Lea didn't even slow down. He shot off one of his strange fire spells, making Aeleus cry out. It sounded more surprised than hurt, though, as they barreled past the scientist.

"They'll have the door shut and locked, if they've managed to get ahead of us," Lea called over his shoulder. "Think we should try to find another way out?"

"No. They know their way around in here. We stand a better chance leaving the same way we came in." Normally, it would be stupid to broadcast his their plans like that in a building like this, but it wasn't like it made much of a difference. The acoustics of the building would make it difficult to ignore a heartbeat, much less the pounding of two sets of feet.

Suddenly, Lea went down. He fell hard to the ground, rolling head over heels. Squall barely managed to dodge the boot that had tripped the redhead as he came to a screeching halt, bringing his gunblade around to block the blow Dilan had aimed for his neck.

"You think you can just run out of here?" Dilan demanded, a wide smile splitting his face as he leaned into their weapons. "Braig and Xehanort will have Lea down in a matter of moments. What chance do you think you stand?" He shoved the hilt of his spear toward Squall's gut, and it was all he could do to move enough to keep it from knocking the wind out of him.

Sure enough, out of the corner of his eye, Squall managed to glimpse Lea on his feet, fending off Xehanort and Braig with his chakrams and fire. That's all he had time to see before Dilan moved again, raining blow after blow on top of him.

For a scientist, Dilan fought well. His strikes were swift and void of any flourishes the young and prideful often used to show off their skill. Every movement was efficient with the intent to kill, and it took Squall a few moments to pick out his opponent's rhythm and come out on top.

Squall blocked a high blow, then kicked Dilan hard in the gut before he could move to deflect it. The dark-haired man went down with an "oof!" and one more kick to the side of his face had him on the floor and bleeding.

Squall turned and went to Lea's aid. To his horror, he found Lea on his knees, dark liquid seeping from his stomach and turning his red sweater a black color. Braig was unconscious on the floor, but Xehanort stood over him, his long dagger delivering another blow that Lea just managed to block.

Squall dove between the two before the scientist could recover, holding _Lionheart_ protectively over Lea and glaring at Xehanort. "All of your men are down," he said, his voice frozen with his anger. "You can't win this one."

Xehanort also glared at Squall, his golden eyes reflecting his contempt. "You fail to understand the gravity of your situation," he smiled, raising his bloodied dagger. Heartless began to spring up from the ground all around them, twenty or more in number. They surrounded the three of them, ready for the signal to attack. "I have discovered how to control the Heartless using the darkness in my heart. They now serve me. You make another move, and they'll be on you," Xehanort said. "So, would you like to rethink my offer?"

Behind Squall, Lea laughed, a harsh, grating sound that was more than a little deranged. "Well, looks like we've been beaten, huh? Guess I'll have to wait and kill you next time," Lea cackled. Before anyone else could move, he raised his arms, spinning a circle of flame around Squall and himself.

Squall shied away from the heat and turned to look at the redhead. "What are you doing?"

"Sounding the retreat," he said, the firelight flickering in his green eyes making him look completely mad. He had one hand clutching his bleeding side and put the other hand out in front of him. The space before him parted, leaving a swirling vortex of black and purple in its wake. Squall had never seen anything like it.

"Don't just stare at it," Lea said, rising on unsteady feet. "Let's go!" He grabbed Squall's arm roughly and pulled him inside.

It was like walking though a curtain of cold gel. The substance stuck to his skin briefly before allowing him passage through and into a strange, unearthly corridor. He was greeted by an array of shifting, melding colors that threatened to render him dizzy. There was no real way to tell how wide the space was, or how high or for how long it went. Squall wasn't even sure if he was walking on the ground or some space above the ground. Whatever the surface was below him, it had the same hardness of packed dirt, and the room had the same hollowness associated with large, empty rooms.

Squall turned around, but the portal was gone.

"Lea, what is this?" he asked softly, his voice reverberating off their strange surroundings.

"Corridor of Darkness," came the weakened reply.

Squall turned back to see Lea slumped on the floor, propped up precariously on one hand. The other still held his side, but it didn't look like it was doing much good. Blood was seeping between his fingers, dripping down on the floor.

Wait…that wasn't blood…

Squall stepped over, pulling back the Lea's hand despite his weak resistance. "Wait, Squall," Lea protested, but Squall ignored him. He ripped off what remained of the other man's tattered shirt, exposing Lea's pale, scar-ridden torso and the ragged cut Xehanort's dagger had left in his side. It was covered in a black, damp, powder-like liquid Squall had never seen before.

"Is this blood?" Squall asked as he examined the wound. It wasn't a clean cut, by any means. And who knew how deep it went.

"Yeah," Lea responded with a shaky voice. Squall looked at his ashen face, then placed two fingers over the artery in his neck.

There was no pulse.

"Lea, you don't have a pulse," Squall said, hastily ripping the sweater's remains into a long, thick ribbon and tying it tightly around his middle. Lea gasped in response, but Squall couldn't stop the bleeding and be gentle at the same time. No pulse? How was he even alive, much less _conscious_, without a pulse?

"Don't worry about it," the redhead slurred. "I haven't had a pulse…in a while."

Now he was delusional. Perfect. "Lea, I need you to stay focused. Do you have any cure spells?" Squall had yet to see a Draw Point on this planet, and he was by no means a sorcerer or a healer.

Lea shook his mane of spikes slowly. "Nah. No potions, either."

Squall muttered under his breath. "You need medical attention. How do we get out of here? I need to get you to Aeris." She was the only one he could think of that could help. Of course, that required going back to the castle…was that even safe? Would Sephiroth be there waiting for them?

One more look at Lea made up his mind. The bandaging wasn't doing much to stop the blood flow, and he was going to bleed out if he wasn't healed soon. Squall would have to risk it.

"Easy," Lea smirked, but it faltered and died on his lips. He raised his shaking hand slowly, somehow opening up another portal before them.

Squall got to his feet and carefully picked Lea up, drawing another gasp from the man's lips. Squall awkwardly cradled his long frame in his arms and headed for the portal. "Just hang on, Lea."

* * *

D: Don't die, Lea!

Ahem. So, does Xehanort actually have a weapon? I know he acquires some kind of Keyblade in Birth by Sleep, but I couldn't find any mention of a weapon before that...daggers just seemed fitting for him, somehow.

So, next chapter, we find out if Lea survives! And perhaps we'll find Cloud :D Or at least figure out where he went, nyeh?

Lol I'm weird, I know XD Well, everyone have a great week :)

God Bless,

-RainFlame


	9. Chapter 9

Hey, guys! Firstly, I apologize for the delay, and for how short this chapter is :( It just seemed like a good place to end it. Secondly, so many people are reading this fic that it gives me warm fuzzies ^.^ Thanks guys.

**Jennypen:** And who doesn't love good Axel torture? XD Now we get to see Cloud torture!

**NovaCRYSTALLIS:** No no no, I love long reviews! They're fun to read :) And as for Cloudy, I love Cloud! I could never knowingly bash him! I am of the mind that he was probably a pretty meek, indecisive young man until something changed in him, so that's how I've been trying to portray him. But we do get to see that change, and we get to find out what Cloud's in store for in this chapter XD And thanks for the well-wishes :) My family and I appreciate them immensely.

**Evil StormSister:** Hahaha you were very right ^-^ And before I thought I was being vague :P Silly me. I'm glad you enjoyed it all, though! Sorry the fight scene wasn't more descriptive. I just find many fight scenes boring, so I tend to gloss over them. I'll have to watch myself on that from now on ;)

**KMSaum:** That's exactly what I thought when I wrote it! Lol And you do so much! You've been supportive and put up with me bouncing ideas off of you and the like! And I can't wait for your next update on that FFVIII fic ;)

Again, special thanks to KMSaum for editing and letting me talk out ideas with her. Thanks, dear :)

* * *

Squall paced the floor impatiently, every now and then raking a hand through his hair. Would she ever be done?

Getting Lea there had been no easy feat. The portal had opened in the backroom of an old tack shed by the chocobo corral. It looked like it had seen little use in the past few years. At least by the chocobo handlers. Lea, however, had made good use of the space, filling it with supplies, equipment, a sleeping cot, and various uniforms ranging from the castle gardener to Palace Guard.

By the time Squall had gotten him out the front door, he was unconscious and a dead weight in his arms. Squall had managed to carry him halfway across the grounds when Laguna and Irvine had spotted them. Laguna took the wounded man from Squall and sent Irvine to find Aeris. By the time they reached the barracks, Zack had arrived and directed them to his personal suite where Aeris waited with her medical supplies. They placed him on the small dining room table, then Squall, Laguna and Irvine were ushered out to wait in the kitchen area.

Zack and Aeris had been in there with Lea for an hour, at least. Squall's impatience was starting to get the best of him.

"Easy, Squall," Laguna said, placing a hand on his shoulder, but Squall shrugged it off and kept walking. Laguna continued despite Squall's behavior. "I'm sure he'll be alright. Zack said that Aeris is the best in the kingdom."

Zack believed that the sun rose and set on Aeris. Of course he would say she was the best. Squall almost said it aloud, but Zack had picked that moment to walk into the room. Squall tried to get a look inside the room behind the general and just made out a shock of red hair before Zack closed the door.

The brunet rubbed a hand over his face and gave Squall a tired look. "He's stable for now. Aeris said he lost a lot of…of blood. But it's not like she can do a transfusion. She's giving him fluids and has the wound cleaned and bandaged.

"I guess I'm going to have to ask you what happened," he said, walking over to the sink to wash away the strange black blood from his hands.

Squall crossed his arms. "We were looking into that base Sephiroth said he stationed Cloud at. It wasn't a military establishment of any kind."

Zack blinked. "What are you talking about? Of course it is! Sephiroth has been running it for two years!"

"I don't know what he's running over there, but it isn't military. When we got inside, we were ambushed by Xehanort and his crew. They said we could either volunteer for their sick experiments or die. We managed to get out, but not before Lea got stabbed."

Zack stepped over to a chair next to Irvine and sat down hard. "Sephiroth's been lying to me?" he asked no one in particular. Squall inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. It was good to know that Zack had nothing to do with Sephiroth's misdeeds. Zack's eyes refocused on Squall. "I need to know everything. Including who Lea is and what he has to do with all of this."

Squall ran through everything, from the first time he met Lea up until their arrival on castle grounds. He did his best to preserve Lea's secrets and abnormalities, since he himself couldn't explain them, and out of respect for the wounded man. He also included everything he could remember about Xehanort's control over the Heartless.

"Sounds like Lea's smarter than any of us," Zack commented in a subdued voice. "He knew something was up. I thought that the Mako thing was going to be the end of Sephiroth's obsessions."

"Mako thing?" Squall asked brusquely, pinning Zack with a glare. "What 'Mako thing'?"

Zack seemed to wither a bit under Squall's gaze. "Sephiroth came to me to a few years ago. He said that Xehanort had a method to make soldiers stronger. Back then I was a regular kid, wanting to be the strongest and the best. Naturally, I agreed.

"It worked. I can do all kinds of stuff I couldn't dream of before. I wanted Seph to put all the soldiers through it, but he said the scientists decided it wasn't safe. It was only after that, though, I found out that the use of Mako in soldiers had been outlawed for years."

"Why did he want you to have it?" Squall asked.

"I never could figure it out," Zack shook his head. "I asked Seph about it, but he never has given me a straight answer." He frowned in thought. "Now I'm starting to think it was for Xehanort's experiments."

There was a long, tense pause before Laguna asked, "What can we do?" One of the few things Squall admired about Laguna was that he was a man of action.

"First things first. We have to find Cloud," Zack said, straightening up in his chair. "But this has to be brought to Ansem's attention. I need to speak with him."

"Will that do any good?" Irvine spoke up for the first time, tipping his hat back with his thumb to better view his audience. "From what I gather, he doesn't seem to really oppose Xehanort."

"He shut down the labs about five days ago," Zack informed. "He said that the experiments were getting out of hand. If this is going on, it's without his permission."

"So why don't we just take a taskforce and clean them out down there?" Laguna asked.

"If, by chance, they have the king's sanction, we'll be committing treason," Zack said. "We'll have to go through Ansem."

"Cloud may not have that kind of time," Squall said, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. "Xehanort said something about wanting more subjects for his final test tonight, to discover control over the human heart or something. I'm willing to bet he's using Cloud."

Zack rubbed the back of his neck. "Guess I don't have much choice, then," he sighed. "All right, I'll go call an emergency meeting with Ansem. That doesn't mean he'll see me any time soon, though. Squall, I'm giving you an official order, so if anyone takes the fall for this it'll be me. Take a squad and go down in that basement. Get Cloud, and try not to kill anyone, all right?"

Squall nodded. Of course, that all depended on what they had done to Cloud. He turned to Irvine. "Get Quistis, Zell and Selphie and meet me in the briefing room in twenty minutes."

Irvine nodded, getting to his feet and stepping out.

"I'm going with you," Laguna informed, looking Squall in the eyes.

Squall frowned. "I don't have the time to play babysitter. This is a cut-and-dry extraction mission, and it will go a lot smoother if I don't have to be constantly watching you."

"Is that what you think of me?" Laguna demanded. "Some pampered aristocrat that can't take care of himself?"

"No. I think you're a klutz that would sooner trip and shoot one of our own than an actual enemy," Squall shot back.

Laguna scowled, stepping up to Squall and pulling himself up to his full height. "I'm coming, whether you like it or not," he said, his voice hard and unwavering with authority.

It reminded Squall a lot of himself.

He glowered at the older man. "Have it your way. But don't come crying to me if you get yourself stabbed."

Laguna stared him down a moment more before turning and heading out the door after Irvine.

Squall sighed and massaged the bridge of his nose. Laguna was going to get himself killed one of these days, despite how Squall tried to keep him out of the danger. The older man just wasn't cut out for battle.

Zack's voice interrupted his musings. "That could have been handled better."

Squall glared over his hand at his superior. "I realize."

The General just chuckled. "Just as long as you know," he said, propping his feet up on the chair Irvine had vacated.

Squall's gaze shifted to the closed door. "I don't guess there's any way I could see him…?"

"He won't be awake for a long time," Zack said with a shake of his head. "Aeris has him sedated so he rests easier."

Squall nodded and walked toward the door. "I guess I'll see you when this thing is done."

He heard Zack murmur "Godspeed," before he closed the door.

* * *

Cloud stared outside the walls of his glass prison, arms wrapped protectively around his broken, aching body. Everywhere he looked around the room he could see cages of black shadows with glowing eyes. All of them had been staring at him hungrily since the moment he had been thrown in here. Occasionally one of the scientists would walk by, sometimes to check some of the charts, sometimes to turn on a faucet that filled the tank with a sickening green vapor. The shadows would stare at them, too, but when they were gone, they once again focused on Cloud.

They made Cloud nervous.

He didn't know how long he had been down here. He remembered he was looking for Squall after he had realized he couldn't remember ever seeing the redheaded officer in his life. He had tracked them down to the old library, but when he didn't see them, turned to leave and tripped over a wrinkle in the rug on the floor. From there he had discovered a trap door that lead into the basement. As he descended the stairs, however, someone came up behind him and knocked him out.

When he came to, he was strapped into a chair with Xehanort hovering over him. They had taken all kinds of measurements and samples and tests. They took blood, pumped foreign substances into his veins, conducted biopsies and gauged his heart rate a hundred times before finally tossing him into the giant, circular tank he now occupied.

Even now one of the scientists came by, turning on the faucet again.

"What are you doing?" Cloud demanded yet again, glaring at the scientist. The silver haired boy looked up at him from beneath his bangs. He was probably younger than Cloud was, with cold eyes and a look of indifference permanently fixed on his face.

Ienzo looked back down at the chart in his hands and wrote something down. "I told you. We're preparing your body for the test," he said, his voice muffled through the glass.

"What test?" Cloud asked quickly, glancing at the vents that poured in the vapor. He knew that soon he'd be too sick to ask questions.

"To find out if two hearts can be combined."

Combined? That was impossible, not to mention pointless. What would someone do with a combined heart?

More importantly, were their efforts going to kill him?

Already the green mist was descending on him, making his eyes and lungs burn and his skin prickle and crawl. Bile rose in his throat as he gagged and tears streamed down his face.

He didn't want to be here. He wanted to be anywhere but here, retching on the floor and feeling sick and hurt, with scientists walking by, pointing and casually conversing to each other while they took notes on Cloud's misery. What right did they have to do this? Why were they doing _any_ of this? It was pointless and unfair, and Cloud didn't want to die here in the name of their stupid experiments.

He tried to think positively. Zack would come find him, or maybe Squall. He tried to remember what Zack had said, about honor and being strong.

"_It's okay to cry, just don't let them see you do it."_

Well, Cloud had already screwed that one up, but it wasn't really his fault the green mist burned so.

He heard the faint sound of the door to the room opening, but didn't bother to look up. They were probably just here to take more notes on how much he could vomit in ten minutes.

"Cloud Strife."

The voice was a resonating baritone that jarred Cloud from his thoughts with its authority. The blond uncurled himself from his place on the floor, wiping his mouth on his bare arm before he looked up.

Sephiroth's icy green eyes stared back.

"S-sephiroth?" Cloud choked out, staggering to his feet and trying to blink the tears out of his eyes. Was he there to help him? "Get me out of here! We need to tell Ansem what's going on!"

A faint smile touched the General's lips, but it wasn't reassuring. Instead, it sent a shiver down Cloud's spine. "I'm not here to help you, Cloud."

Cloud's muddled mind took a long second to decipher the statement. "You're not?" he asked stupidly.

"I'm merely here to see the puppet that will be given a piece of my heart."

"Puppet?" Cloud repeated. What was he talking about? Combining hearts, and now puppets?

"Don't you see, Cloud?" Sephiroth asked with the same unnerving smile on his face. "Xehanort has given me the means to put a piece of my heart into yours, linking us together. You will be my puppet, to do as I will you to. Though it would have been nicer if they could have found me a more…impressive subject," he said, his eyes casting a disapproving look at Cloud's body, and Cloud immediately wished they had given him more than a pair of white shorts to wear. "Unfortunately, they claimed Zack's heart is too strong for the process. Yours, on the other hand, may just be pliable enough to survive it without shattering."

"You were going to use Zack?" That got Cloud's temper up. That was the only reason he had befriended Zack in the first place? To try to take over his mind?

"Come now, Cloud," Sephiroth chuckled as he began to pace around the tank, making Cloud have to turn constantly to keep him in sight. "We can't have you getting angry. That would only complicate the process. In the future, though, that will make you much easier to manipulate."

"I don't want your heart in mine," he snapped. "I won't be your puppet."

"I'm afraid you won't have any choice," the silver haired General said. "With any luck, the Mako will have your body strong enough to undergo the procedure in a few hours. Hopefully with only minimal damage to your heart."

"Minimal damage? What do you mean?" Cloud demanded. He was sure now that they weren't talking about the physical organ.

"Mako has been known to harm the heart, and sometimes change a person entirely. I'm not too worried about that, though. None of that will matter, once your only desire is to do my bidding. But even if your heart doesn't survive, we should be able to glean all the information we need to perfect the next puppet before it shatters."

Cloud's breathing stopped. They were going to kill him after all. Maybe not physically, but this…this would destroy his very soul. "I won't do it!" he screamed, smashing his fist against the wall. It didn't give in the least. He hit it again and again, the blows not doing damage to the glass or his own hands, but Cloud kept hitting. He couldn't just roll over and let them ruin his life!

Eventually, though, the exertion combined with the Mako had him heaving again. He kneeled on the floor, no longer able to keep standing as his empty stomach worked to purge itself of the poison in his body.

"A pathetic puppet," Sephiroth murmured. By the time Cloud was able to raise his head to look, he was gone.

* * *

Sephy is such a meany ;-;

Well, now we know what's in store for Cloud...and Lea lives thus far! So, next time, let's bust Cloud out of this place XD

Hope everyone has a wonderful week, and I shall see you all next chapter :)

God Bless,

-RainFlame


	10. Chapter 10

Yay for updates! :D

**Jennypen:** Cloud will get hard-core soon enough ^-^ He's still got his stubborn streak, after all. I'm glad you're liking it, though :)

**NebraeExbaren:** Glad you liked it XD Here we get to see some Cloud angst ^.^ That's always a crowd pleaser.

**Evil Stormsister**: Aww, thanks! Here is more creepiness XD And yes! Laguna finally got a spine! And Squall really is short X) He's, like, barely taller than Cloud is. Or maybe they're the same height? I'm curious now. May have to go research that ^-^

**NovaCRYSTALLIS:** Well, I do enjoy Cloud angst. And Squall angst XD 'Tis my favorite. And this chapter is full of Cloud angst. You would think my conscience would start getting to me by now ^.^

**TriforceBrave:** Aww, I'm glad you're enjoying it! (Big Squall fangirl here too, by the way ;) ). Squall should get there soon. . .I don't know about Sephiroth, though. He seems to have the irritating ability to survive just about anything XP He even survives dying! Who does that? He just keeps popping up all over the place. But we'll see how Squall handles things :D

As usual, KMSaum helped out a lot. Special thanks to her :)

On we go!

* * *

Cloud watched through the glass with apprehension as Sephiroth allowed Xehanort to connect him to several machines. Some monitored his heart rate, others his breathing and others his brain activity.

"Everything looks good," Xehanort commented after a while, scribbling something on a clipboard. "Are you certain you know how to do this?"

Sephiroth tore his eyes away from the surrounding cages of shadows to cast him an annoyed look. "I have read every one of your reports on the removal and division of the heart. If anything goes wrong, it is from your own doing." The threat in his voice was obvious.

Cloud had never wanted anything to go more wrong in his life.

"Everything in the journals is accurate. Half of the writings are by Ansem himself," Xehanort said, sounding just as irritated as Sephiroth looked. If Cloud was any judge, the two didn't get along very well.

Sephiroth didn't reply to that. "Are you ready to begin the procedure?"

Xehanort looked behind him to Even and Ienzo, who were manning a large consol filled with computers and monitors. They both nodded.

Sephiroth began removing the wires connected to his bare torso.

The white-haired scientist scowled. "It would be safer if you-"

"And how am I supposed to reach him if I am confined to this chair?" Sephiroth demanded.

Xehanort continued to glare, but didn't comment. "Aeleus, Dilan! Get him to the chair!" he snapped.

The two men hastened to comply from their posts at the door. They placed their weapons against the wall and made for Cloud's prison.

Cloud did a quick calculation. Sephiroth and Xehanort were in the left corner; Even and Ienzo were in the center against the back wall. The exit was on the right wall, with Braig guarding it. That left Braig, Aeleus and Dilan between him and freedom. If he could overpower them quickly, he might be able to make it to the door before anyone else knew what had happened.

"I wouldn't run, if I were you."

Cloud turned to see Sephiroth on his feet, _Masamune_ clutched in one hand.

Well, even the weak got lucky, right? He was fast. Maybe with luck, he could even beat Sephiroth.

_Yeah, right._

Dilan was at the door now, ready to unlatch it at Aeleus' signal. The larger man positioned himself before nodding and Dilan flipped the fastener and yanked the glass open. Aeleus pulled himself up the stairs and into the giant container.

_Just like Zack taught you._

Cloud rushed him, planting a kick on his chest that sent him flailing back into Dilan. He vaulted over them, running for all he was worth.

He hit Braig head-on, charging like a rabid animal, clawing and biting his way through him to freedom. He was heedless of the blows his opponent rained down on him. His only focus was to get past him and out of the room.

Something sharp kissed the back of his neck and he froze where he stood over Braig's horizontal form.

"Foolish boy," Sephiroth's voice clucked in disapproval. "That you seemed to think you could get away from me is inconceivable. Turn around."

Cloud did as he was told, slowly turning to face Sephiroth.

The general smiled. "There. You can be trained, can't you? Get in the chair."

The blond scowled at him. He hated the way Sephiroth belittled and mocked him. He hated feeling this powerless.

And never before had he wanted to kill someone so badly.

But he had little choice but to obey. He went to the chair and sat down, Sephiroth's blade at his throat the entire time. Xehanort and Ienzo came over and strapped him in, tightening large leather belts around his neck, arms, wrists, waist, legs and ankles. Only then did Sephiroth drop his sword, though he still smiled that unnerving, degrading smile.

"Dilan, clean that blood off of him," Xehanort ordered impatiently with a wave of his hand. "It will interfere with the transplant."

Cloud hadn't even realized that he had drawn blood, but now he tasted it in his mouth. A quick glance at Braig told him he had done quite a number on him, and Cloud couldn't help the sense of satisfaction he felt at the older man's scratched arms and face.

Dilan dampened a towel and wiped away the blood from Cloud's hands and face. All the while, Sephiroth hovered over him, gazing at him with an intensity unrivaled by the scientists'. It chilled Cloud's very soul.

"Wouldn't a shorter sword be easier to wield?" Braig asked. He was once again at the doorway, nursing his bloody face, and had his eyes locked on Sephiroth's _Masamune_.

"The weapon closest to my heart is the only thing that can remove it," Sephiroth informed in a tone that said he considered the raven-haired man to be vastly inferior. "Or haven't you read the report you've devoted so much of your life to researching?"

Braig scowled, but didn't say anything else.

Xehanort turned to Sephiroth. "Are you ready to begin?"

Sephiroth kept staring, but nodded. "Yes. Vacate the room."

Looking miffed at being ordered around in his own facility, Xehanort gestured to his fellow scientists before turning and storming from the room.

The smile widened when they were alone. "Now, puppet, we shall begin your ascent into darkness."

Cloud stared with barely concealed terror. "What do you mean?" he demanded.

In answer, something dark and terrible unfurled itself behind Sephiroth's right shoulder, a stark contrast to his pale chest.

A wing.

An enormous black wing.

* * *

Squall leafed through the castle blueprints he had picked up from the map room, but wasn't surprised when there was no sign of a basement on any of them. He would have to rely on what he had gleaned from his time down there with Lea.

He glanced up at his team around the table. "We'll be going down through the library entrance, and we'll have to go room by room to locate Cloud. As soon as we have him, we pull out. We're going for stealth, but if you are noticed, aim to kill. These people are dangerous." He proceeded to describe the scientists and their weaponry and fighting styles as best he could. "As usual, if I go down, Quistis is in charge, and Irvine after her. Any questions?"

Selphie raised her hand. "What about Sephiroth?"

"If Sephiroth shows up, do all in your power to avoid a fight. Zack says he has incredible strength and speed. And I don't want any casualties," he said pointedly.

"And the Heartless?" Laguna asked.

Squall frowned. "Use your own judgment, but they are dangerous and under normal circumstances should be terminated on sight."

"Do you anticipate resistance from the scientists?" Quistis asked as she absently wrapped and unwrapped her whip around itself. Squall recognized it as a nervous gesture, but the blonde woman rarely got nervous. It bothered him.

"If we're spotted, there is a high probability of resistance. Like I said: aim to kill."

"I thought we were supposed to keep the scientists alive?" Laguna questioned.

Squall frowned. Another reason Laguna had no business here: he was a politician. Despite any previous experiences in the military, he had been a bureaucrat for far too long and no longer thought like a soldier, but held to the unrealistic ideas that casualties could always be avoided and the enemy was just misunderstood. "When it comes down to my people or theirs, I want my people to make it out alive. This is going to be hard enough without worrying about their well-being, and I'm going to take every precaution to make sure we all make it back alive. I will take full responsibility for any casualties on their side."

Laguna nodded uncomfortably, but didn't say anything else.

"Check your supplies and make sure you have enough potions," Squall continued. "You have ten minutes to gather anything you might need and meet me outside the back door. Dismissed."

Laguna, Zell and Irvine left the room quickly; probably to grab items they had forgotten. Selphie and Quistis remained seated and watched as Squall gathered maps and placed them back in their appropriate slots.

"Squall?"

Squall put the last map away and turned back to Quistis.

"Can I talk to you?" she asked. Her voice sounded strangely subdued as she gathered her whip up and rose from her seat.

"I'll go wait outside," Selphie said brightly, seemingly oblivious to the tone in Quistis' voice. She picked up her nun chucks and left the room.

Squall looked at Quistis questioningly. What had gotten into her?

The blonde woman looked down at her hands for a long moment before saying, "I have a bad feeling about this mission, Squall."

He blinked. "What kind of bad feeling?" he asked. Quistis wasn't normally like this; she didn't get bad feelings, and wasn't much for intuition. She was too practical for things like this.

"I'm not sure," she murmured, still refusing to meet his gaze. "I think . . .I just think something's going to go very wrong down there."

Squall considered her for a moment. "You don't have to go."

She laughed, but there wasn't any mirth in it. "Don't be ridiculous, Squall. Of course I'm going." She pushed her seat back and got to her feet, then raised her eyes up to meet his. They surprised him with their intensity. "But please be careful, Squall." With that, she turned and left.

Squall, feeling more confused than he had before, followed her out.

* * *

Feathers shed from the monstrous limb, falling softly to the ground as Sephiroth moved. Cloud couldn't stop staring. "All it will take is a piece of my heart," he said, beginning to circle Cloud's chair, "and the darkness will consume you entirely."

Cloud wanted to run. He wanted to be anywhere _but_ here.

He wanted someone to come for him.

But Cloud wasn't as naïve as he came across. He knew no one was coming, at least in time. He knew he was alone. And he knew there was nothing he could do to stop Sephiroth.

And he was scared.

"_It's okay to be afraid, Cloud. Just don't let it stop you."_

"How does it feel, Cloud?" Sephiroth's voice tore him from his thoughts. Cloud glanced up warily and he continued. "How does it feel to know you've been abandoned?"

"I haven't been abandoned," Cloud shot back with a glare.

Sephiroth chuckled. "Of course you have, Cloud. Did you know that they're not even looking for you? Zack didn't even know you were missing until your new friend pointed it out to him."

"They're looking for me now," Cloud insisted, staring down at his bare feet. "Squall will find me."

_Am I lying to myself?_

"You honestly think he cares what happens to you? Do you think he's even capable of caring about anyone? Squall Leonhart is as heartless as they come."

"You don't know Squall," Cloud said through clenched teeth.

"I know he doesn't care what happens to a worthless grunt like you. And why should he?" he pressed. "You are incapable of even defending yourself against your peers. Why should he think you capable of anything else?"

"Shut up," he whispered.

"You're no good to him. I'll be fortunate if you prove to be any good to me."

"I said shut up!" Cloud snarled, meeting Sephiroth's gaze.

Sephiroth's lips tugged upward. "It seems I've hit a sore spot," he commented. "Your self doubt will provide the means for your downfall."

Cloud's eyes widened before he could stop them. "What are you talking about?"

"It's very simple, Cloud," he said, raising _Masamune_ before him. "The darkness in your heart will make it much easier for my own heart to connect with it. Self-doubt, though not darkness in itself, can be turned into something far more lethal: despair. Convenient, isn't it?"

Sephiroth gripped his sword in the middle of the blade, drawing a thin stream of blood from his hand as he turned it around and pointed it toward his heart. Cloud knew it was coming, but still couldn't quite believe it when Sephiroth stabbed himself.

Instead of blood, however, all that came from the wound was a brilliant white glow. The weapon dropped from Sephiroth's hands, clattering to the ground and making Cloud jump. He could see the shadows with the glowing eyes all around them, dancing in their cages in excitement.

Sephiroth plunged his hand into the wound, his face contorting in pain. In one sharp movement, he pulled out something dark and writhing, like a mass of black, oily tentacles. His poison-green eyes met Cloud's.

Cloud glanced down and tugged at his bonds, but they were unyielding. He looked back to Sephiroth.

That smile was back.

He glided forward, and before Cloud could even summon a scream, Sephiroth shoved the darkness at Cloud's chest.

_Into_ Cloud's chest.

He couldn't breathe.

His heart stopped.

It was like being pierced by ice and fire at the same time. It felt awful, alive and moving inside of him, consuming him. Acid poured into his veins, spreading the feeling throughout his entire body.

The sensation traveled from his chest, stretching to somewhere between his shoulder blades, an entire wave of darkness. Amidst all the pain, there was a distinct agony in his back. It felt like something was growing inside of him, setting against bone and stretching outward, tearing through muscle and flesh alike. Finally, his back tore apart.

With that fresh agony, Cloud's vision dimmed and his brain began to mercifully shut down.

"_Sleep now, puppet,"_ a voice whispered inside of his head. _"I will return for you."_

Cloud didn't have time to make sense of the message or wonder why there was another voice in his head giving commands and promises. He was already gone.

* * *

Icky. Sephiroth's heart is gross XP

Next chapter, though, we invade the basement :D

Alright, I would like to take this opportunity to give some warnings for the next few chapters down the road. Due to the nature of this fic, and how many FF8 characters we see in KH, there will be character death later on. I just wanted to throw that out there so it doesn't take anyone by surprise when it pops up. Just have some tissues handy ;)

Looking forward to seeing you all next chapter! Have a great week :)

God Bless,

-RainFlame


	11. Chapter 11

School has begun. That's my excuse and I'm sticking with it XD

**TriforceBrave:** Lol, aww, I love Irvine and Laguna ^.^ Cowboys and klutzes are endearing to me, for some reason XD Of course, I love Quistis, Zell and Selphie too. I don't wanna kill them ;_; But as far as Selphie is concerned. . .well, I'm not too sure. I'm thinking I'm just going to take some fan fiction liberties and smudge her age a bit, but we'll see. And "One Winged Jerkface" lololol I love it XD

**Anti the Infinity Holic:** Aww, poor Sephy plushie. And I didn't even think about Tidus! I always just thought he was some island kid that hung out with Sora o.o Maybe there will be opportunity to bring him in later *muses*. And I agree. There should be more FF8 characters in KH -.-

**KMSaum:** Well, glad you like icky XD Thanks for all the help, again! Talking some of this stuff over with you really helps me a lot :) I'll message you as soon as I gather my thoughts and come up with some things to run by you ;) And I'm enjoying reading it! I'm ready for life to slow down so I can get back to it XD

Forward!

* * *

Getting in had been more difficult than it had before. With a larger party, they looked more conspicuous than just Lea and Squall had, and eventually had to split up and meet in the library.

Squall was prepared for the entrance to be guarded this time, and wasn't surprised when he felt a shift in the air of the room before them; a subtle stirring that was easy to pick up on when you were paying attention. Something was alive and breathing in there.

Squall looked at Selphie and Zell behind him and made a signal with his hand, then pointed at the room. The two nodded and Zell stepped forward with an excited grin on his face. The blond skulked his way closer to the door, looked to make sure Squall and Selphie were close behind, then ducked and rolled into the room.

Gunfire exploded from just around the door, ammunition biting into the carpet where Zell had been a moment earlier. Squall dove into the room, his eyes immediately landing on Braig's back as the sharpshooter took aim on Zell's head. Squall hit the back of his head with the butt of _Lionheart_ and the raven-haired man crumpled to the floor.

"Selphie, tie him up," Squall ordered quietly. "Zell, watch the door." As his teammates hastened to comply, Squall went deeper into the library and pulled back the rug. The trapdoor was shut, but not locked.

"This guy's got some funny scratches on his face," Selphie said as she fastened the zip ties around Braig's wrists and ankles. Squall stepped over to have a look. "Think it's Heartless?" she asked.

Squall shook his head. "No. Those cuts are too shallow. They look . . .human."

"Cloud's?" Zell asked.

"Maybe." Squall looked up to Zell, then back. He picked up Braig's limp form and hauled him behind the desk.

A low whistle alerted him to the arrival of the other team. Zell allowed Quistis, Irvine and Laguna entry into the library. "We got held up by a palace guard," Quistis explained.

"What'd you tell him?" Zell asked.

Irvine smiled. "I told him we were going to break into the basement, destroy valuable equipment, free an imprisoned soldier, and obliterate all other signs of life."

Zell blinked. "And how'd that go?"

The cowboy made a face. "He wasn't impressed. He's sleeping it off in the broom closet."

Zell laughed and clapped him on the back. "Maybe he'll decide that it's all a bad dream."

"Let's go," Squall interrupted, hauling open the trapdoor and stepping down into the dark. His team filed in after him and Irvine worked to close the door behind.

Squall felt his way down the stairs slowly, mindful of the others behind him judging their own steps by the faint sound of his. Aside from that and their even breathing, Squall could hear the hum of ventilation and equipment and low voices.

"—and so what?" the voice of Even rang out suddenly, causing the group to halt in surprise. "Even if he gets his little puppet, what does that get us?"

"We will know for certain that a human heart can be controlled by another," the soft voice of Ienzo came.

"Yes, but what of the visitor?" Even pressed. "The mouse king?"

"What of him?" Xehanort asked absently. He didn't sound too concerned.

"He suspects something!" Even hissed. "And worse, Ansem listens to him! We'll be shut down!"

"We've already been shut down," Aeleus pointed out.

"We'll loose the research, and probably be imprisoned—"

"Nothing of the kind will happen," Xehanort interrupted.

There was a stunned pause before Even spoke again. "What makes you think that? You think we'll receive a slap on the wrist? We have blood on our hands, Xehanort!"

"And when did you develop a conscience?" the other scientist asked. "Ansem will not be a problem, nor will the mouse. I already have plans to take care of them both, if the time comes. All you need to worry about now is the continued production of Heartless and how the Strife boy adjusts to his new state."

"Shouldn't someone check on their progress?" Ienzo asked, his voice closer than it had been. Squall saw a shadow cast in the dim pool of light at the base of the staircase and held his breath.

"Perhaps so. Take Even and find out how they're faring."

Another shadow soon joined Ienzo's and the pair of scientists emerged from the mouth of the room, turned right and disappeared down the hallway.

Squall started breathing again. So, there was a plot to get rid of Ansem? And this mouse king. This ran even deeper than Squall could have imagined. Would it be best to take them all out at once? To ruin the conspiracy before it could begin?

No. They had no witnesses, outside of themselves, and this was too big for Squall to take on himself. Killing the six of Ansem's favored apprentices? He would have to have to take it to the General, or probably Ansem himself for something like this. The King would want an investigation and a trial.

So, their mission remained unaltered. Retrieve Cloud and get out.

Squall continued down, silencing his steps almost completely as he reached the bottom and moved forward enough for the others to do the same. The room that Xehanort and Aeleus were in was only ten feet away. It would be convenient if the two scientists were out of the way, but that posed a problem of its own. If caught, Xehanort would surely call down his Heartless on them, and defeating an army of shadows would be next to impossible with such a small team and in such close quarters. Sneaking by would be difficult, though.

Squall crouched down low and slowly peeked around the corner.

The room seemed to be some kind of library or office, with shelves of books and a desk against the right wall. Xehanort sat at the desk with his back to them, reading some kind of journal under a lamp. Aeleus was pacing the room, amusing himself by swinging his axe sword back and forth in his hands.

Then there was Dilan, whose voice Squall hadn't heard contributing to anything. He sat in a plush chair, a book in his lap. He was facing the doorway.

This would be tricky.

Squall pulled back and turned to his team, informing them of the situation with hand signals. They nodded in understanding and Squall got down again to peer around the corner.

Dilan's face was in his. "Hello, Squall."

Squall wheeled back, bringing up his gunblade in a hasty effort to block the blow aimed at his head. Then Irvine's rifle was at the scientist's temple and the man went ridged.

Xehanort and Aeleus were on their feet, weapons in hand, but also froze as Laguna trained his machine gun on them.

"Never bring a knife to a gunfight," Irvine said with a smirk, plucking Dilan's spear from his hands and handing it to Zell behind him.

"Drop your weapons," Squall ordered the other two. "Get back to the wall and face it."

Xehanort's surprise turned to faint amusement as he let his daggers slip from his hands and clatter to the floor. "Squall, haven't you learned anything by now? This is all pointless."

Squall glared. "I've learned to have Irvine put a bullet in your head if I see a single Heartless. Against the wall."

The humor died on the scientist's face as he scowled. "That would be an act of treason, attacking one of Ansem's apprentices."

"What you're running down here is illegal. Last time; face against the wall or I'll have them open fire."

Xehanort slowly complied and faced the wall along with Aeleus and Dilan. "And what is it you are hoping to accomplish with this?"

Squall motioned to Zell. "Nothing you need to concern yourself with."

Zell positioned himself behind Xehanort and brought the sides of his hands down on either side of the base of the man's neck in a well-placed chop. The scientist crumpled to the floor. Zell repeated the maneuver on the other two with the same results.

"Selphie, Zell, tie them up," Squall ordered.

"Should we secure the other scientists?" Laguna asked, turning his gun to the doorway.

"They should be with Cloud. We'll deal with them then." Squall and Quistis helped the other two drag the bound scientists to the wall next to the door. Then Squall considered a moment who should stay behind to ensure Xehanort didn't come to. This would probably be the safest place for Laguna, anyway. "Laguna, Selphie, stay in here and make sure they don't wake up."

"And if they do?" Laguna pressed.

"Bash their brains in?" Zell suggested.

Laguna looked a bit horrified, and Irvine grinned. "Just knock them out again," Squall sighed. "Quistis, Irvine, Zell, with me."

The three followed him out and down the corridor. Squall led them on a thorough search of several rooms, checking them all for signs of Cloud, scientists, and loose Heartless.

Finally, they found him.

The room had a high ceiling, with containers of Heartless covering most of the walls. Equipment and consoles were scattered around the room and a large, cylindrical tube was in the center of it all with various control panels around it and a green mist swirling inside.

Out in the middle of the floor sat Cloud. He was strapped to a chair, his head bowed and his skin a deathly pale color. Something was draped partially down one side of his back, but other than that, all he had on were a pair of shorts.

Squall fought down the urge to call out to him. He searched the room thoroughly, posted Zell and Quistis at the door, then hurried to the blond's side. "Cloud?" he asked, sliding two fingers below the boy's jaw to check his pulse. It was weak, but steady. Satisfied that he was stable, Squall and Irvine worked to free him. They unbuckled the bonds holding him to the chair and the youth pitched forward. Squall caught him and pushed him back, his hands brushing underneath the strange fabric the clung stubbornly to Cloud's back.

_That's not fabric . . ._

Squall leaned forward to examine it and pulled the object away from Cloud's body. It stopped and held in place and Squall dropped it like it had burned him.

Hanging from Cloud's back, just inside of his right shoulder blade, sprouted a black, leathery wing. It looked like it had been ripped off of a demon and sewn on. The skin around it was red and inflamed, dried blood still clinging to the appendage and the flesh below.

"Squall?" Irvine asked, coming around the chair to investigate. "What is thi-" he stopped in realization, horror washing over his face at the sight of the wing.

"Give me your jacket," Squall ordered. Irvine mutely removed the long duster and together, they wrapped Cloud in it. Irvine then gently swung the blond over his shoulder, holding him secure with one hand while holding his rifle with the other.

"Squall!" Quistis cried. Squall spun around sharply, his gunblade in his hand. Quistis and Zell were no longer at their posts, but Squall could hear the crack of her whip and the shuffle of Zell's feet just beyond the doorway.

And as he ran for the door, he heard the unmistakable swish of a blade slicing through flesh and a choking gurgle. Then Zell's despairing and furious cry turned into something far more pained and animal. Then the worst sound of all:

Silence.

* * *

;_;

Next chapter is going to be SAD. I've cried through most of what I've written. You've been warned! Bring tissues.

Hope you enjoyed, and if you have ideas/thoughts on how the world should end, I would LOVE to hear them. I've been going back and forth on a few in my head and can't make up my mind XD

Have a great week!

God Bless,

-RainFlame


	12. Chapter 12

Good evening/afternoon/morning/all-hours-in-between! Instead of studying for a big exam tomorrow, I'm here updating! :D

**TriforceBrave:** KMSaum and I both cried, so you may want tissues XD And who knows . . .Squall might not make it out alive. Bwahahahaha XD But he is our protagonist, so I guess I have to leave him alive, hmm? ^-^ And there shall be much Squall angsting ahead!

**Jennypen:** Oh, I forgot the tape D: It looks like he ripped it off of some mummy XD And Lea shall get here soon, methinks :D

**7Knight-Wolf: **I love Axel and Leon/Squall! (Lol obviously) They are some of the best characters ^.^ And you're right. They probably should have had more emotional issues than I gave them :T Perhaps I shall go back and edit when all is said and done . . .

**EvilStormSister:** Glad you're back! :D Perhaps you'll like this next fight scene? I tried to go a little more "move-by-move" here than my usual glossing over. And . . . um, in my defense for Quistis and Zell, Sephiroth is very good at his job . . . *ducks and hides*.

**KMSaum:** Oh, good! Glad you cried too. That means I'm not such a wimp XD

Special thanks to KMSaum! She helps make these things readable and gives me ideas :) (I highly recommend her fics, too, by the way.)

Don't forget the tissues! And perhaps some music? At the appropriate moment (you'll know when) perhaps "Friends" from Wolf's Rain?

Onward!

* * *

Quistis had been right. Something did go very wrong.

They were dead.

Because Squall hadn't listened.

Both of them were sprawled in a pool of red. Blood was everywhere, staining their clothes and soaking their flaxen hair. Quistis still had her whip in one hand, the other resting against her ruined throat. Zell's eyes were wide in eternal surprise at the sword still protruding from his chest.

Sephiroth's eyes rose to meet Squall's.

He smiled.

"I'll take care of this," Squall said. He was surprised at how even his voice was, despite the way his hands shook with rage and shock and raw pain. "Take Cloud and the others and get out of here."

"I'm not leaving you here, Squall," Irvine said, his own voice quivering. He cocked his rifle with one hand and pointed it at the man before them. Sephiroth didn't flinch.

"I said get out of here!" Squall yelled. If Quistis and Zell couldn't win, he knew even with the two of them, even with Laguna and Selphie, they wouldn't stand a chance. Out of all of them, though, he had the most combat skill and experience, and he was the only one trained to handle a sword. Maybe he could hold Sephiroth off long enough to allow them to get away. And if he got really lucky, maybe he could get out of there alive, too.

Funny. Squall wasn't usually so delusional.

"Squall—" Irvine began.

He turned on him with a snarl. _"Leave!"_

He saw the torn look on Irvine's face, the fear and hurt in his eyes. He saw loyalty battling with common sense. Irvine recovered quickly, though. His eyes hardened in understanding and acceptance. He knew Squall would have it no other way. He nodded once, tipping his hat to Squall as he turned to leave.

A final farewell.

"How noble."

Squall turned his head back to Sephiroth, his eyes only lingering momentarily on the bodies at his feet. "What would you know about nobility?" His voice was a harsh, angry whisper. "You're nothing but a cowardly murderer."

Sephiroth's smile broadened. "Ah, so the lion _can_ be roused," he said, ripping his sword from Zell's body to point at the necklace hanging from Squall's throat. "I've heard the stories your people have told about you. The cold, distant hero that has the courage to save the world, but doesn't have the strength to share his heart.

"Is that why she died, Squall? Because she wasn't loved?"

He wanted badly to rush in and silence him once and for all, to feel the _Lionheart_ plunging into his abdomen and hear his choked gasps of pain and incredulity. He wanted to avenge his friends with the madman's blood. But he knew charging in a blind rage would only get him killed faster. He refused to be goaded.

"Ah, you're angry. Perfect," he said, stalking forward. "I can feel the darkness in your heart, even more pronounced than before. You would make a fine puppet, once you've been broken. What would it take, I wonder?"

Sephiroth suddenly ran forward, sword held high. Squall barely managed to raise his own blade before he felt the bone-jarring impact. He had never felt such strength before, the force of the blow making his arms quiver under the strain.

"You are the strong one, aren't you?" the general purred, green eyes flashing as he leaned in close. "But not an ounce of Mako in your body. That's too bad. Otherwise, you might stand a chance." He pulled back the blade and struck again, landing a cut on Squall's shoulder before Squall could knock it away.

Squall had had enough experience to know when he was outclassed. He also knew when he was being toyed with. Sephiroth was faster and stronger, his blade nothing but a blur as it whipped through the air, landing dozens of tiny cuts on Squall's person before Squall could bring his own weapon between them. Sephiroth could have killed him at least twenty times by now, but Squall saw the flicker of cruel amusement in his eyes as he danced back, then stepped in to cut his arm, then backed away again to repeat the process.

He was being mocked. Sephiroth was purposely trying to wear him down, not kill him. But for what? To turn him into his puppet?

Sephiroth's blade slid in low, nicking Squall's calf and drawing a stream of blood.

"Yet another pathetic soldier," he taunted as he once again backed out of Squall's range before he could strike. "You think you're here to save Cloud? You're too late. As we speak, his mind is being overtaken by my will. Soon he will be an empty shell, a puppet for my whims."

Squall panted where he stood, taking advantage of the break, but still holding his gunblade at the ready. By now the others should be on their way out.

"When have you ever been able to save anyone?"

Sephiroth's words jarred Squall from his thoughts. He blinked, surprise and fear washing over his face before he could control it.

Sephiroth noticed, his eyes brightening as he realized he had touched a nerve. "It's what you fear most, isn't it?" he pressed. "That you can't save anyone? You're obviously right, the way you simply let your friends die." He casted a pointed look at the bodies of Quistis and Zell. "You're not capable of protecting anyone. No wonder you shut everyone out."

Squall snarled, rushing forward with a swing of his blade. He was easily blocked as Sephiroth turned the blow away from him and rained a flurry of his own on Squall's guard. "You couldn't protect her, could you Squall?"

Squall struck again, baring his teeth in fury and channeling the rage into his attack. Again he was deflected. "That's right, Squall. Give into your despair, and let your anger guide your actions. It will make the ruination of your heart so much easier."

Sephiroth's eyes flickered to a space behind him, then back to Squall. A dangerous smile spread across his face. "Perhaps I can speed up the process."

The katana pulled back away from Squall, then flew at him. Squall didn't have a prayer. He only had time to stiffen as the blade hurled toward him.

Then past him.

Squall heard a choking sound behind him. He turned slowly, his eyes following the long length of Sephiroth's sword until it ended in Laguna's chest.

Laguna's eyes were widened in shock. Slowly, his gaze tilted down to his chest, staring at the katana embedded in his heart as if he couldn't believe it was there. His machine gun fell from his quivering fingers and clattered to the floor. Slowly, he raised his head, his eyes meeting Squall's.

Someone was screaming. It took Squall a long second to realize it was him.

Sephiroth lifted his blade, depositing Laguna in a heap on the floor. The older man curled in on himself, gasping, trying vainly to stop the tide of blood pouring from his chest.

"LAGUNA!" Squall screamed, dropping his weapon and kneeling at Laguna's side. He pressed his trembling hands into the wound. "It's going to be okay, Laguna. We'll get you out of here. Aeris will fix you up. It'll be okay." He was rambling, saying anything that came to mind, trying to give Laguna something to hold on to, some hope and comfort.

Or maybe he was trying to comfort himself.

"S-Squall?" Laguna asked, raising a bloodied hand. His eyes were glazed over with pain, and his face was pale with blood loss. Blood trickled from his lips.

Blood everywhere.

"Don't talk, Laguna," Squall ordered weakly. No matter how much pressure he applied, the blood wouldn't stop.

"Squall . . .I need to know . . .do you hate me?"

"What?"

"Do you . . .hate me?" Laguna whispered.

Squall was suddenly aware of moisture on his face. He didn't know if it was blood or tears. "No. No, Father. I don't hate you."

A ghost of a smile tugged at Laguna's lips. "That's the first time . . .you've never called me . . .'father' before."

"It won't be the last. Just hang on, okay? I'll get you out of here—"

Laguna's hand found Squall's head. He ruffled his hair weakly, oblivious to the trail of blood he left down Squall's face. "I'm sorry I wasn't . . .a better father to you. I'm sorry. . .I wasn't there-"

"Don't talk like that!" Squall choked through his tightened throat "I promise I'll get you out of here!"

"Not this time, Son," he murmured. Squall caught his hand as it slipped down, holding it tightly in his. Laguna grasped it feebly. "Not this time," he repeated, softer.

"Father . . ._please_," Squall begged. "Please don't. I can't . . .you can't leave me. _Please_."

_Because if you leave, I'll be alone. _

"It'll be alright, Squall. Trust me." His smile faltered and died on his lips. "I . . . I love you," he whispered, his grip slackening.

"I . . . love you, too," Squall choked out, clutching his father's hand tighter.

A smile flitted across his face again. Then, Laguna's eyes dimmed, his body stilling.

"Father?" Squall whispered. "LAGUNA!" he screamed, burying his face in his father's bloodied shirt. "Don't . . .don't leave me . . .Father, _please_," he sobbed.

But he knew that his father wasn't coming back. Just like Quistis and Zell weren't coming back. Like Rinoa wasn't coming back.

He had never felt more alone in his life.

"Pitiful creature," Sephiroth murmured from behind him. "You can't save anyone. Perhaps it would be a mercy to put you down."

A portion of Squall's mind shut down. He couldn't handle all of this. He simply couldn't. He didn't know how, so he locked it away in the recesses of his mind.

All that was left was rage.

Slowly, he got to his feet, dragging _Lionheart_ with him. His hands shook, but that didn't matter. Nothing mattered. No matter how well he fought, he was a dead man anyway.

Squall brought up his blade, leveling it before him.

Storm gray eyes met poison green.

Squall smiled.

Sephiroth's expression of arrogant surety slipped for just a moment. In that brief second, Squall saw a flicker of disbelief and confusion before the smile returned. "Perhaps your heart is well on its way to the darkness," he said, bringing up his sword.

Squall didn't wait for further invitation. He charged in, bloodied hands ready to kill and to avenge. Sephiroth would pay for what he had done. Even if Squall died, he would pay.

Their swords met with a sharp crack.

* * *

*sobs* I LOVED Laguna! DX

I guess I did it to myself, though. Doesn't make it any better ;-;

Ahem, so, next update's going to be slow. I'll try to get it written this weekend, but between writer's block and all these awful tests/performances/rehearsals, it may be two or three weeks. And I'm going to try to do a one-shot to help me with the writer's block (love to hear any ideas/suggestions, 'cause I can't think of anything XD) so hopefully that'll speed things up.

I hope all of you have a fantabulous week! See you next chapter :)

God Bless,

-RainFlame


	13. Chapter 13

Well, well, look who decided to post an update XD Tadaaaa! Happy Halloween!

I am soooo sorry it took me this long to update! Classes are eating my brain o.O I feel like a zombie.

**Jennypen:** Lol I hope it didn't ruin your day! I can't say that this is a warm fuzzies chapter, but it's a lot less depressing than the last one XD And yes, Sephiroth needs to get his buttocks kicked. Too bad he's alive in KH -.-

**TriforceBrave:** Aww! Well, I'm glad people got emotional over it and I wasn't the only one in tears XD I felt like a wuss there for a while . . . And I'm sorry it took so long to update! I hope it's worth the wait :)

**Evil StormSister:** I'm so glad you liked it XD You're always so great with the constructive criticism! Thank you for helping me improve :) And on the long death scene, I kind of intended it to seem like things slowed down. Basically, Squall's world just came to a screeching halt and I wanted to emphasize that. Maybe it was too much, though? And, unfortunately, I've mentioned a few times that Laguna was his father, but that would have been neat! Bah, now I want to rewrite things XP

**KMSaum:** Thank you for all the help! I used, like, all of your suggestions XD I liked the one about Lea. It was very fitting ^-^ I'll be messaging you after this.

To all who call for Sephiroth's blood: unfortunately, he is alive in Kingdom Hearts and Squall can't kill him *pouts*. Or . . .can he . . .? Bwahahaha!

Special thanks to KMSaum! She is a brilliant beta and a brilliant writer. Go check out her fics!

* * *

Squall knelt on the floor, bruised, bloody and exhausted. His body had failed him and he no longer possessed the ability to move. His muscles burned and his wounds seeped blood on the cold metal floor. The worst pain, however, was the sharp ache in his heart.

He stared up at Sephiroth with weary eyes. The general in return regarded him with a considering look as he held _Masamune _to his throat. The sharp blade opened a small cut that streamed blood down his neck.

Surely that had been enough time? Irvine, Selphie and Cloud should be safe now. He could die now, when he had nothing more to lose.

He wouldn't fail anyone ever again.

"Well? What are you waiting for?" Squall rasped, cradling his bleeding arm to his chest. He somehow managed to summon a smile to his lips, but it wasn't the mad one. It was an empty, knowing smile. "Go ahead."

Sephiroth's own smile graced his features. "You are worthless to me dead."

Squall's heart sank. Those were not words Squall wanted to hear. If he didn't die, then he'd have to live.

Live knowing they were all dead.

"Kill me while you can," Squall hissed. "I won't rest until one of us is dead."

Sephiroth's cold laugh echoed through the corridor. "Your wrath is the least of my concerns. What I'm interested in right now is your heart."

"You can have it when you cut it out of my corpse," Squall snarled, though it sounded more like a hiss. He didn't even have the strength to voice his anger anymore. His vision was starting to blur around the edges, too. It wouldn't be much longer before blood loss and exhaustion caused him to pass out.

"Hmm. Perhaps you have not felt the full weight of your despair after all," Sephiroth considered.

_Please._

"Today is not your day to die, Squall Leonhart."

_Please let me die._

"You'll see me again when your misery overwhelms you."

_It already has._

And like a shadow, Sephiroth disappeared into the darkness. There was no sound but his own gasping breath and the beat of his heart.

His heart. The cause of all of this.

Squall's eyes slowly drifted up from the floor to rest on the bodies. Zell. Always vibrant and lively, ready to tell a joke or get into a brawl. Quistis, with her authoritative manner and her quiet wisdom.

Laguna. The one that smiled and could think up a silver lining for any situation. Always forgiving and open, even when Squall was closed to his efforts. Always loving when Squall was unlovable. The last of his family.

Dead.

It was a long time before Squall was able to move. When he finally did, he dragged himself across the floor, leaving a smear of blood in his wake. He made it to Laguna's side and put his head on his father's chest.

It was strangely cold and silent.

The tears came unbidden.

* * *

"Squall."

He wasn't moving this time. He wasn't going to open his eyes.

"Squall!"

It made no difference, now.

There was more screaming, but he didn't listen.

He drifted.

* * *

Zack raised a weary hand to rub his eyes, trying to coax them into focus. The sooner he finished this paperwork, the sooner he could leave and get home to his wife. No doubt she'd need some help with Cloud and Squall to look after . . .

He started to read again, slowly trying to make sense of the first sentence. Finally, on the third try, he pushed it aside. There was no point in this, now. Coming into the office on an evening like this, on a _day _like this, was pointless.

He couldn't get the sight of them out of his mind . . .

Zack filed away the reports, donned his weapon and left his office. Maybe Cloud would be awake by now. He would need to see a friendly face when he came to. Squall might need someone to talk to, as well.

With that thought as motivation, Zack made his way though the halls for the officer suites. When he turned the corner, though, he almost ran right into someone.

"Squall," Zack said in surprise. At the sight of him, though, his tone turned cautious. "Squall, you shouldn't be out of bed. Aeris didn't let you leave, did she?"

Squall looked at him as if he just noticed he was there. "Zack?" he asked. His voice was the same timbre Zack might have expected a lost child to posses.

"Yes, it's me," Zack responded. He took a moment to regard Squall. The man had dark circles under his glassy eyes. He was pale, his hair mussed and clothes disheveled. Bandages wound around most of his visible skin and disappeared underneath his clothing, some colored red with blood.

More disconcerting than anything, though, was the look he was giving everything around him, as if he couldn't really process it. Lost was a good word. He didn't look at all like the brooding, contemplative warrior Zack had come to know.

"Have you seen Lea yet?" Zack asked, hoping the familiar name would jar some kind of reaction out of him.

Squall just blinked. It didn't even look like he was listening anymore. What was wrong with him? It was like nothing was really getting through . . .

Maybe a more familiar name? "What about Irvine? Or Selphie?" Zack tried, hoping the names weren't too close to home.

The names seemed to stir him into focus again, for his eyes slowly slid to Zack's face. "Are they dead, too?"

The question completely disarmed Zack. "What? No, Squall! They're not dead!"

"Oh," was all Squall said. He made no move to keep walking. He just stood there, his eyes wondering to view the carpet under their feet. Zack noticed that his feet were bare.

Memory loss related to the event, emotional numbness, severe difficulty concentrating; all were symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. But what of this sudden change in personality? Could it be some kind of coping mechanism? Zack had never seen anyone change so completely and so suddenly before.

But unless Squall tried to hurt himself or someone else, it was much too late to be calling in the psychiatrist. Besides, Aeris could probably sedate him and they could see how he was doing in the morning.

Like a good night's sleep could fix this.

"Come on, Squall. You need some sleep," Zack said, placing a hand on Squall's shoulder.

Squall glanced at it, seemingly surprised it was there. "Laguna does that," Squall commented, his voice barely audible as if he were lost in a memory.

Zack's heart clenched. "He did, didn't he? Let's go."

Zack slowly guided him back through the halls to the suite he and Aeris now shared with three wounded men. It was surprising how much their home had changed in the past few hours. The place, though still homey, now possessed an almost bleak atmosphere that even the cheery yellow curtains and fresh flowers on the table couldn't quite fight off.

Aeris met them at the door, looking relieved at the sight of Squall. With only a quick smile of greeting to Zack, she ushered her charge inside and to bed on one of the couches. Lea had been moved to other sofa, while Cloud, his injuries being the greatest, took the bed in their bedroom.

Lea, though, wasn't on his designated couch. He was sitting up at the table, a half-eaten sandwich sitting on the plate in front of him. He watched with an almost cat-like gaze as Aeris injected a sedative in Squall's arm and wrapped a blanket around him.

Then his eyes went back to meet Zack's. "Evening, General," he greeted in a tight voice Zack couldn't make sense of.

"How are you feeling?" Zack asked, removing his Buster sword from his back and placing it by the door.

"Better, actually," he said. "I think Cloud's awake."

Zack immediately turned and went to the bedroom door. He knocked quietly, more in warning than anything, then went in.

Cloud was just a small lump under the covers, the sheets rising and falling with his steady breathing. All that could be seen of him were a few stray locks of blonde hair poking from underneath.

And that wing. It extended from underneath the covers and over the side of the bed, as if Cloud were doing his best to separate it from himself.

"Cloud?" Zack asked, taking a seat by the bedside. "You awake?"

"Go away, Zack," Cloud's voice murmured from inside the sheets. He sounded exhausted and in pain.

"That's not any way to greet your friend, Cloud," Zack admonished lightly, careful to mask his concern. That didn't sound like Cloud at all. Granted, Cloud had just been through one of the worst things imaginable, but Zack would have expected crying. Not . . .this. "How do you feel?"

"I asked you to leave."

Zack frowned. "Cloud, I know you probably feel a bit lost right now¾"

"You don't _know _anything."

The venom in Cloud's voice completely caught Zack unawares. "Cloud?"

There was a slow, measured sigh from underneath the linens. "Just . . .leave."

Zack stared at the lump in the bed a moment longer before saying, "Alright, Cloud. Me and Aeris are here if you need anything, okay?" He stood up and made his way to the door. Cloud said nothing as he left.

Zack shut the door behind him and leaned against it with a weary sigh. Two of his good friends were hurt in ways Zack couldn't even imagine, and he was powerless to do anything about it.

And he couldn't help but feel that it was his fault.

"Zack?"

He looked up and forced a wide grin on his face for Aeris, pushing off the door and holding his arms out to receive her. She gave him a soft, knowing smile and obligingly wrapped her arms around him. "Did you get anything done? You weren't gone that long," she said into his chest.

"I figured you could use some help around here," he said, glancing from Squall out cold on the couch, to Lea, who seemed to be finding the remaining crust of his sandwich particularly interesting.

"I think everything should be fine for now," Aeris said, backing away to look up at his face. "How was Cloud? He wouldn't say a word to me earlier." Her beautiful face was lined with worry.

Zack couldn't meet her gaze. "I don't know. He asked me to leave."

"I'm worried about him," she confessed quietly.

"Me, too."

"Do you know what happened?" she asked after a long silence, her grip tightening a bit around his biceps.

"All I got out of Irvine was 'Sephiroth,'," Zack said, spitting the name. Maybe that was why this situation seemed so surreal. Sephiroth had been someone Zack had trusted and looked up to, only to find out that Zack and his friends were little more than a science experiment to him.

Soft lips on his jarred him from his thoughts. Aeris pulled away before he could properly return the gesture, though. "Why don't you sit down? I'll get you something to eat." She turned around and went back to the kitchen.

Zack took a seat at the table across from Lea. As he sat down, the redhead looked up.

"What now?" he asked, almost casually. But the inflection wasn't right for it to simply be a casual question.

Zack couldn't decipher the motive behind it, though. And there was no harm in answering to a man that had already proved his loyalties.

Zack shook his head. "I don't know. By the time I got down to the basement, Xehanort and his crew were gone. Sephiroth, too. Half the base is out scouring the town for them now." He rubbed a hand over his face. "Ansem's declared them outlaws and put a price on their heads, but that probably won't do any good. They're probably half-way to another world by now."

"Any ships missing?" Lea asked.

Zack shrugged. "Not my department. Admiral Highwind doesn't like to share his shortcomings with me, either. I'll probably find out tomorrow when I go to meet with Ansem."

Lea seemed to mull the information over for a bit before saying, "Do you think Sephiroth's going to show back up?"

"Not if he has any sense of self-preservation," Zack said with a glare.

Lea smirked. "Plans for vengeance?"

"You bet your life there are," Zack growled.

"I think there's a line." Lea glanced down at his crust, checking his progress as he slowly destroyed it between his fingers.

Zack watched him for a while, then finally asked what was on his mind. "How do you fit into all of this?"

Lea glanced up and arched an eyebrow, asking him to continue.

"You show up, a guy with no history, no identity-"

"You looked?" He didn't sound all that surprised.

"I had someone look into it for me. What's your connection with these people? How do you know all of these things you shouldn't? Who are you?"

"It's no surprise they erased all of my records," he said, his eyes back on his food. "Wouldn't want someone to come looking for me in the middle of their work."

"What are you talking about?" Zack asked.

Lea's reply was forestalled as Aeris returned and set a plate down in front of Zack. She sat down beside him and the focus was on Lea once more.

"Do you know what a Nobody is?" he asked, abandoning his bread and leaning back in his chair in a slouch.

Zack and Aeris glanced at each other, then back at Lea with a negative reply.

"Well, then, let's start at the beginning," he said. He tilted his head back and spoke to the ceiling. "I grew up in a little town a few miles from here. Armer. Well, my parents died when I was too young to remember, and my grandmother took me in. She died when I was about eight. We didn't have an orphanage or anything like that, and a few months on the streets did a number on me. One night, I got into a brawl with a guy twice my size at a homeless shelter and got thrown out. My injuries combined with the weather basically killed me."

It took them both a moment to process that. "You're . . .dead?" Aeris asked.

Lea smirked, leaning up to look at her. "Close to it. You see, Heartless aren't the only things that can cause you to loose your heart. The simple things, like hatred and despair, can do it, too. Not only did Lea die, but he made a Heartless and a Nobody to go with it.

"So, now I was homeless and starving, and heartless," he continued, again tilting his head back. "Somehow I made my way to Radiant Garden. Some guy took me in and let me work for my room and board, I made a friend, life went on. Until I had a run in with Xehanort."

"Xehanort?" Zack asked. "What happened?"

Lea leaned up to give him an irritated look. "If you'd stop interrupting, I'll get to it." Zack obediently shut up and Lea resumed. "He had apparently been digging through some medical records in Radiant Garden and found mention of some guy without a heartbeat. With all of his research about hearts and stuff, well, this was just too interesting to pass up, I guess. He looked me up and came knocking."

Lea leaned over and put his head in his hands. "Like an idiot, I believed him when he said he could get my heart back. Just, 'Sign here, fill this out, and ignore the fine print,'. I went with him. Didn't see the light of day for six years."

Zack's mouth went dry. Six years in the possession of scum like that? He could only imagine what Lea must have gone through. But he wasn't going to press for elaboration. Not with his wife in the room, anyway. "Then what?"

"One night, when they thought I was too sick to move, I got out. They got cocky and left the cell door unlocked. I hid out in some dusty corner of the castle for a while until some kid found me. Isa got me out of there and took care of me until I got back on my feet."

Lea lifted his head and grinned. It was nothing if not mad. "And that's when I made it my life's goal to take them out."

As unsettling as the look was, Aeris thought of a more unsettling notion. "Was Ansem involved?" she asked quietly.

The grin slid off of his features. "Never saw him down there. He probably didn't know."

Aeris sighed in relief. After that, though, a stiff silence fell over the table.

"You should get some sleep," Zack finally told Lea. "You, too," he added to Aeris. "These next few days are going to be interesting."

* * *

Squall listened quietly with only faint interest as voices murmured in the background. If he tried hard enough, he could make out the owners of the voices, but he wasn't really trying that hard. He vaguely felt the vocal chords in his throat hum a response, but he wasn't sure what he said.

He didn't really care, either. He was content here. There were no demands, no responsibilities. He could pass the time with mindless thoughts and careless muses until he drifted into unconsciousness, then awake and do it over again. Nothing mattered anymore. Even his nagging conscience required no more than a gentle dismissal before he was left in peace again.

"Then what?"

The voice startled him so that he jumped and whirled around. He was no longer in the nothingness that was his metal reprieve, but he was in his dorm room, back at Balamb. The bed was made, several personal items were strewn here and there, and bright, indefinite light filtered in through the window. He couldn't make out anything beyond the panes, except more light. The room rang with an empty hollowness.

"And then what?" the voice repeated.

Suddenly, on the bed, sat a girl. She looked as if she had been sitting there the whole time, with her dark brown eyes trained on him and a curious look on her face. Dark hair fell down her back and her delicate fingers clutched at her blue sweater.

The most beautiful sight Squall had ever beheld.

"Rinoa," he whispered.

* * *

Well, we got to see Lea again! And we found out what some of his creepin was about. And Rinoa! I love Rinoa ^.^

Next chapter, methinks we shall find out what Xehanort and his croonies are up to. Hopefully it won't take forever for me to write.

Personal Note: I would again like to thank those of you that are and have been praying for my granddad. He's been doing better recently, and the chemo seems to be working. Of course, we know it's not going to cure him, but God has blessed us with more time :) Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.

Hope all of you have a wonderful Halloween weekend! Go carve some pumpkins and watch scary movies! Looking forward to seeing you next chapter!

God Bless,

-RainFlame


	14. Chapter 14

Holy Moses, it's been, like, five months O.o Last semester nearly ate me alive, and this one's looking worse, but I do hope to at least update once a month _at the least_.

**TriforceBrave-** I know! Now Cloud will start to become the angst king we all know and love :D I'm glad it was worth the wait, and I hope this one is worth it, too :)

**Evil Stormsister-** Lol pretty sure if it takes me five months to update, you can be as late as you please with your reviews ;) And Irvine and Selphie are still around! They'll pop up in the next chapter :D I'll be looking forward to your thoughts on this chapter. It was a beast to write and I value your input on these matters ;)

Now, what you've all been waiting for (for five months). Onward!

* * *

"Rinoa," he whispered, not daring to look away lest she disappear.

A soft, sad smile spread across her face. "What are you doing, Squall?"

He didn't know what to say. He hadn't seen her, hadn't _held _her, in months, and now she was right here. . .

"You're mind's a lot messier than I thought it would be," she grinned, picking up a T-shirt off the floor and discarding it on the bed beside her. "You're always so neat."

"Sorry. Wasn't expecting company," he said, though his voice came out hollow. "What are you doing here?"

"You seemed like you could use some help," she smiled, standing up.

He didn't respond to that. "Are you really here?" he whispered. "Is this real?"

Rinoa's smile softened. She came close, her scent washing over him before she wrapped her arms around him. He could feel her warmth, her smooth hands around his neck, her heart beating in her chest. "Do I feel real?" she whispered.

Squall couldn't get words past his lips. He held her close, relishing the feel of her in his arms again, her head resting under his where it fit so well.

Finally, he spoke, the words coming out in a jumble. "But you're dead. I saw you die. Everyone is dead-"

"Squall," Rinoa murmured in a tone she had used often, meant to calm and reassure. "I know you. I know you want to make yourself responsible for everything, but nothing that happened was your fault." Squall tried to speak, but she cut him off. "If anyone should be blamed, it should be me. Instead of asking for help, I tried to deal with it on my own." Her brown eyes were filled with regret, but there was an undercurrent of strength.

"It wasn't your fault, Rinoa," Squall insisted, pulling her closer. "Any of it."

"It was more mine than yours," she said, hugging him. "And I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry for."

They stood there in the center of the room somewhere deep in Squall's subconscious, surrounded by silence and each other's arms. Squall felt more at peace now than he had ever these past few weeks.

"What now, Squall?"

Squall didn't answer. How could he admit to her that he had given up? What would she think of him, then?

"Squall?"

"I don't know," he murmured into her hair. "I don't know what to do . . . I don't know where to go . . ."

"You can only go forward."

The voice startled him. He turned around, but he wasn't in his dorm anymore. He was in his office, sitting at his familiar desk with it's unfamiliar cleanliness. No papers, no files, just a barren expanse of wood. Rinoa was gone.

Laguna perched on the desk before him, pain in his stormy eyes and a crimson stain over his heart. A soft smile pulled at the corner of his lips. "Hey, Squall."

"Laguna," he murmured, looking around. "Where did she go?"

"Rinoa?" he asked. "I told her I wanted to talk. She's still around here somewhere, though."

"Where is 'here'?"

Laguna regarded him thoughtfully for a moment, then broke into a smile. "Ever thought you were losing your mind?"

Squall didn't find the notion amusing. He frowned up at his father. "Maybe. Is that what this is?"

"Don't get me wrong, you haven't lost your mind yet," Laguna said, grinning despite the blood and Squall's irritation. "You're not far from it, though," he added with a bit more solemnity.

"Are you going to explain?"

"It's kind of hard to . . . You know where you are, right? In your own head?" Squall nodded and Laguna continued. "Well, we're still here, too."

"Still here?" Squall pressed.

Laguna seemed to be struggling with finding the right words. "You haven't let us go, yet."

Let them go? What was he talking about? "Who is 'us?'" he asked.

"Well, Rinoa, Quistis, Zell and me," Laguna smiled sheepishly. "I wasn't sure you cared that much to hold on to me."

"I still don't know what you're saying," Squall said with a frown.

Laguna frowned himself. "I guess the best way to explain it is that you haven't let go of our hearts. We're all still here with you, Squall."

At this, Squall blinked. He was holding them all here? All in his own heart? How was that even possible?

"The question is: Why are you still here?" Laguna asked, his eyes fixed on Squall's.

Still here? This was his mind, wasn't it? He had every right to be here. Laguna continued, "Moping around inside your own subconscious is not going to help anyone, Squall. I thought you knew better."

"I have no one to help." Squall intended for the statement to sound matter-of-fact, or at the very least defensive, but it came out weak and broken. He averted his gaze. "I'm done."

Laguna blinked in surprise. "What about Irvine and Selphie? And Zack, Aeris, Cloud and Lea?"

Why couldn't Laguna see that he was tired? He didn't want this burden anymore. He had done his best, and his best wasn't good enough. He was tired of watching the people he loved die because of his poor decisions. "Lea can take care of himself, and Zack is more capable of leading the others than I am."

There was an uncomfortable silence, but Squall couldn't bring himself to defend his decision further. For some reason, the thought of Laguna being disappointed in him bothered Squall.

"Squall, I know you're tired, and I know you're hurt," he said quietly. "And I know you well enough to know you're beating yourself up over all of this." When Squall didn't look up or acknowledge him, he continued, "You're not going to believe me right now when I tell you it's not your fault, but I'm going to tell you anyway, and keep telling you until you believe it yourself."

Squall suddenly felt a strong hand under his chin, slowly angling his head up too Laguna's. Squall was too stunned and too tired to fight it, so he unwilling locked eyes with his father.

Laguna said the words slowly, "It isn't your fault."

Squall pulled away after a moment, without the force he had intended. "I want to see Rinoa."

She was there, standing on the plush carpet before his chair and smiling sadly. "Yes, Squall?" she asked, bending to place a hand on his knee, concern in her eyes. Squall leaned forward and pulled her into his lap. He didn't care if Laguna was still there, sitting on his desk and watching them. He didn't care if Zell and Quistis were hanging around, watching. Squall held his wife in his arms, leaning against her, breathing her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him close.

Squall didn't know how long they were there. He lost track of time and his surroundings. He was only conscious of the woman in his arms, her scent, the heart beating in her chest, the breath moving in and out of her body.

Unbidden, tears formed in his eyes, then spilled over down his cheeks. He was crying. Rinoa held him tighter, and he was sure he could feel Laguna's hand grip his shoulder. Then he became aware of other people in the room. Two hands touched him, one soft and gentle, the other firm and reassuring. Quistis and Zell.

"It won't last forever, Squall," Rinoa promised in his ear. "You can rest soon. But you have to keep going now. People are depending on you, and the worlds need you."

It was too much. He couldn't even make sense of it.

"Will I . . .will I see you again?" he asked softly.

"We'll be here as long as you need us," Laguna said.

"Go on back, Squall," Zell's voice broke in for the first time. "You've got work to do."

"Everyone's waiting," Quistis said.

Rinoa's hand cupped his chin, pulling his face up to hers. They were no longer in his office, surrounded by their friends and family. Once again, they were standing alone in the middle of Squall's dorm room.

Rinoa looked up at him. "I'm not going anywhere, Squall. I'll be right here with you." She raised herself on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his. He returned the kiss gently, savoring the contact.

* * *

He woke up on a sofa, his arms empty and his heart aching. He didn't have much time to miss her now, though.

People were screaming.

* * *

Yay! Fighting next chapter. I loves it XD

Well, hope everyone enjoyed it! Life's about to get even more complicated for poor Squall very very soon XD I'm horrible. I hope he'll forgive me . . .

Looking forward to your feedback! Have a great week!

God Bless,

-RainFlame


	15. Chapter 15

Ah! I know, I know, it's been forever! Life started getting in the way of my writing, but school's out! Whoohoo! Now I can write! More on that later . . .

**TriforceBrave:** I'll have to go look for spelling errors . . .sometimes I forget to use my spell check XD Lol poor Squall, I know. He is far too abused in my fics.

**Axel'sChakrams8:** Thanks! Lol yeah, I know, updates have kind of been erratic. I'm reeeally hoping to smooth that out, though. I'm glad you're still sticking around, though!

**KMSaum:** Glad you're still around! Hope to hear from you soon :)

**Evil Stormsister**: Lol, well, I haven't updated since February, so not like I can possibly hold that against you XD I'm really glad you liked the chapter, because I was thinking it was almost boring and it almost felt rushed to me at the same time. You're right, there probably could have been more Zell and Quistis. And I'm a sympathetic crier as well ;) I'm hard core until someone else starts crying. Then I'm a pansy lol XD And, as promised, the fight chapter!

Please enjoy!

* * *

"Get up! Get up, Squall!" Aeris was shrieking in his face.

Squall snapped into focus, eyes taking in everything as he sat up. He recognized the room as Zack and Aeris' suite, though it was now dark. There were no lights on in the place except what filtered in through the window from the security lights outside. Zack was nowhere to be found, though Aeris was off to the other side of the room now, disappearing through an open doorway.

Squall heard the screams again, coming in along with gunfire from somewhere outside. He got unsteadily to his feet. His body was swathed in bandages, some stained red with blood. He couldn't remember what that was all about, but dismissed it for now. He saw _Lionheart _by the front door and hurried to get it. He was tempted to go out in the hallway and have a look around, but Aeris had returned, this time with Cloud leaning heavily against her. The boy was deathly pale, his face a stark contrast to the wing that protruded from his back. It dragged the floor behind him, trailing Cloud like a shadow.

"Come on, Squall, we have to leave!" Aeris said, taking Cloud not to the door, but to the kitchen.

Squall shook his head. Why was he getting so distracted? "What's going on?" He demanded, following her and putting one of Cloud's arms around his neck.

Aeris relinquished her load to him entirely, running to a cabinet in the corner. Squall took a moment to look out the window. He could see the grounds outside all the way to the gates. People were running around like mad, soldiers shouting and cutting at the swarms of Heartless that were invading the grounds.

"Heartless," Aeris said breathlessly, grabbing a pack from underneath a cabinet and securing it to her back. "They're everywhere. Zack and Lea are trying to hold them off the building until everyone's awake, and I'm supposed to get you two out of here." She pulled out a long staff from inside the cabinet and looked at Squall. "If I hold off the Heartless, can you carry Cloud? I don't think we'll have much of a problem until we get out of the building."

Squall nodded, sheathing _Lionheart _at his side in order to fully support Cloud. They would move faster if Squall had a better hold on him. "Where are. . . Where are Irvine and Selphie?"

"Zack said he would wake them up for you on his way out. They should be here any minute now, but we should be ready, just in case . . . Squall, move!"

Squall didn't think twice. He wasn't even sure he thought once. His body moved, spinning both he and Cloud to the side and on to the ground, just as a black shadow raked a claw in their wake. Aeris' staff came down on the creature's head, causing its mouth to part in a silent shriek. She beat it again and again until it fell over and disappeared in a puff of Darkness.

"Maybe we should go," Cloud murmured quietly from the tiled floor beside Squall.

Aeris blinked at the blond. Squall couldn't tell if it was in surprise or confusion, but she offered a weak smile. "Good idea. I don't think we're safe in here anymore."

Squall picked himself and Cloud off the floor and followed Aeris to the door. She opened it quickly and they moved into the hallway. People were rushing around like mad, most of them still in their nightwear. Squall could see a shadow spring up from the floor every once in a while down the wide length of the corridor, but it was obviously not a hot spot for Heartless.

"Where are we going?" Squall asked. Outside was sheer mayhem, and the easiest way to get themselves killed.

Aeris led them down the hallway, joining the stream of humans that were scrambling down the side exit. "Zack has a friend in town. We're going to meet them at his house until Zack comes to get us."

"Aeris! Squall!"

Squall turned against the crowd and craned his neck to see over it. He saw a familiar cowboy hat making its way to them. Irvine soon caught up to them, Selphie in tow. "We were just coming to get you," he said.

"We had to leave. Heartless were in our kitchen," Aeris explained. "Come on, let's get out of here."

Irvine took Cloud's weight off of Squall's aching shoulders and they all proceeded outside. Hundreds of soldiers were running, darting this way and that to engage a Heartless, but all were headed in the general direction of the castle to do their duty and protect their king.

It was like swimming upstream against the tide of soldiers and shadows. Selphie and Aeris dispatched as many of the Heartless as they could around Irvine and his load, while Squall cut a path ahead of them, pushing through soldiers and destroying Heartless. It felt like hours before they made it to the gate. There were fewer Heartless here, which meant in Squall's mind that this was an organized attack, specifically targeting the castle grounds.

But for what? Was this simply an accident? Had the Heartless escaped from the labs below? Or was this something much more sinister? Like a direct attack by Xehanort? He had said something in the labs, something about having a way to get rid of Ansem, if the need arose. That had to have been what this was; an attack on the King.

Squall stopped.

"Squall?" Aeris asked. They all faltered in their steps and stopped, turning their eyes on him.

"They're after Ansem," Squall concluded. "I have to get back to the castle."

"Squall, I don't think that's such a good idea," Selphie protested.

"I signed a contract," he stated. "I have a duty to protect the king."

Irvine frowned. "We signed the same contract. We should go with you, then."

"No," Squall shook his head. "As you're commanding officer, I'm ordering you to take Cloud and Aeris somewhere safe and wait this out."

"How will we find you?" There was still a note of argument in Selphie's voice, and something else. Panic, maybe?

Aeris spoke suddenly, "Just find Zack and Lea when it's over, okay? They know where to go."

Squall nodded, briefly wondering if he would be able to find them when it was all over. He turned on his heel and ran back inside the compound, heading for the center of all the mayhem.

* * *

The whole situation reminded him eerily of the events a few short months ago.

Zack whipped his sword in a tight arc, dissipating two Heartless and severing the limb off a third. The shadows were thick in the hall, springing from the ground in alarming numbers. This sea of yellow eyes and twitching limbs was all that was standing between him and his duty to protect the king, and it was annoying him to no end.

"We'll never get to the King at this rate!" he snarled in frustration as he cut down the two more Heartless that rose where the others had died. They had traveled no more than halfway down the hall in the past fifteen minutes!

"Want me to take care of it?" Lea offered for the fifth time, an amused tone spread thinly over exhaustion.

Zack had been hesitant to let him unleash his flaming fury in the confined space of the hall, but now, feeling the ache of prolonged combat in his bones and the urgency to get to Ansem, he wasn't feeling so opposed to a little fire. "Can you do it without burning the whole castle down?" he asked, dodging a jumping Heartless and slicing it in half on its way by.

Lea let out a short, strangled laugh. Actually, it sounded pained to Zack's sensitive ears, and he felt a twinge of guilt for allowing the still-injured man to accompany him. "Depends on if I'm having a good day," he announced. He twirled a chakram expertly, clearing the space in front of him of several shadows. "You may wanna stand back, General," he cackled, his clothing beginning to smolder.

Zack could feel the heat radiating from Lea's body. He immediately slid in to stand behind the redhead, covering Lea's back and staying out of the way.

The blast almost knocked Zack on his face, despite not being on the receiving end. The room heated up remarkably, drawing sweat down his brow and making the Heartless before him shy away, golden eyes glittering in the flaming light.

Zack turned around in time to see the firestorm die down, flames receding across the stone floor and drawing back to Lea like golden waves back into the ocean. It was an awesome sight to behold, the stone glowing red in the flames' wake, the once-ornate rugs disintegrating into ash, Lea's green eyes shining like a cat's with unnatural power.

Then, the fire was gone and Lea collapsed to his knees. Zack looked around. There were no Heartless to be found anywhere in the room. Even those that hadn't been caught in the surge had decided it was in their best interests to disappear.

"See?" Lea gasped. "Still standing." He gestured vaguely to the surrounding walls before grabbing at his chest.

"You alright?"

"Just give me a minute. Catch my breath," he panted. The definite sounds of a scuffle drifted out from the room down the hallway. "Better go have a look," Lea nodded to the doorway.

As much as Zack didn't want to leave Lea alone in the hallway, he had to protect Ansem. He moved quickly across the hot floor to the door and pressed an ear against the thick oak. He couldn't make out specific words, but he could hear the voice of Ansem. And the voice of Xehanort.

Well, there wasn't much choice. He lifted his weapon in one hand and threw the doors open.

It was just Ansem and Xehanort, but it was clear who had the advantage here. The young apprentice was pinned to the floor, Ansem's rapier at his throat. It looked like the king was ready to dispatch him at any moment.

"Surrender now, Xehanort. You know I don't want to kill you." Ansem's voice was steady, despite how his blade shook.

A smile spread across Xehanort's face. It was the smile of a man not yet defeated. "I told you your weakness would be your undoing. You think the people will bow down to a spineless sap like you forever? You have grown delusional in your old age. Now is the time to pay for your fantasy."

There was no way Ansem could have seen it coming, and after the fact, Zack tried to tell himself that there was no way he could have stopped it. Xehanort threw his hand to the side and, with what looked like no small effort, opened a rip in the air. What rested beyond was a spinning, twisting tunnel of darkness.

And in a heartbeat, it had completely engulfed Ansem.

That was it. There was no look of surprise, no final realization on the king's face. There wasn't a sound or even a flash of light. One minute he was there, the next he was gone. The rip sealed itself immediately, leaving no sign Ansem had been there at all.

"What have you done?" Zack snarled in alarm and rage.

The apprentice was already back on his feet, a long dagger in his hand. He regarded Zack with cold yellow eyes. It reminded Zack of meeting the gaze of a Heartless. "Ah, General," he said. Zack could hear hurried footsteps outside the side door, and it seemed Xehanort noticed too. He cut his eyes to the door behind him and smiled. "It seems you've arrived just in time."

Before Zack could question him, he twisted the dagger in his hand and stabbed himself in the shoulder.

Zack blinked in surprise, just as the door opened. Four of the king's personal guard charged in, all of them looking miffed and armed to the teeth. Zack recognized them as some of Sephiroth's soldiers. He was about to melt in relief when Xehanort shrieked, "He stabbed me! He stabbed me!" he pointed at Zack with the hand not clutching his wounded arm. "What did you do with Ansem?"

That was all it took for the guard make up their minds. "Drop your weapon," the Captain ordered in a gruff voice.

"Xehanort took Ansem! He shoved him into some kind of portal and stabbed himself!" The words had tumbled from his lips before checking in with his brain. On second thought, that sounded really stupid . . .

Suddenly a wall of flame erupted from the floor, effectively cutting off their advance.

"Do you realize how stupid that sounded?"

Zack turned around to see Lea staggering in. "Lea! He- Xehanort took Ansem!"

Lea's face twisted, but Zack couldn't tell if it was with anger or pain. "I saw. We have to get out of here. I can't hold that wall for long."

Zack hesitated. Should he turn himself in? He could prove his innocence. Upon close inspection, there was no way Xehanort's wound could have come from a broadsword such as his. Maybe he could use that to clear his name.

But no, not if Sephiroth was playing this game. Zack had been working with him for too long to go up against him when the deck was already stacked against him. Who knew how long Sephiroth had been planning on this? No, best to run now and figure it out later.

Gunfire jarred him from his thoughts.

"Come on!" Lea shoved him forward.

They started running, flames and bullets biting at their heels.

* * *

It didn't take near as long to get back in as it had to get out. All the Heartless were heading the same direction, mostly, so it wasn't difficult to stab them in the back as he made his way to the castle.

He was quickly tiring, though. It felt like his body was responding slower and slower to his commands, though he wasn't sure if it was due to physical exhaustion or mental. Things just didn't feel right in his body.

Before he made it to the top, however, Lea and Zack came flying down the castle stairs, flames trailing behind them and panic on their faces. "Get out of here!" Zack shouted madly as they charged toward him.

"What's happening in there?" Squall demanded, gazing up at the castle. It was definitely the focus of the Heartless attack, and Squall had to get to Ansem before something happened to their leader. Why were they running away? "Where's Ansem?"

"Ansem's gone, Squall!" Zack said, stopping mere inches from him.

"There's no time to explain, just go!" With that, Lea threw out an arm, opening up one of his strange portals and shoved Squall inside.

* * *

Well, things are certainly falling apart fast D: What's going on here? Where are the other apprentices? Has Cloud's angst-fest ended?

So, as I said, summer has begun! That means more updates! In a somewhat timely fashion! Yay!

I have great aspirations to finish this fic this summer. Maybe that's slightly ambitious of me, but it's my goal XD Already have half of the next chapter written out, so keep your eyes open. Should be up soon ;)

Please review, and have yourselves a great week!

God Bless,

-RainFlame


	16. Chapter 16

Hello, all!

Well, TriforceBrave pointed out that since it's been forever, some readers might have forgotten what's going on, so lemme give you a brief run down XD

**RECAP:**

_I'm sure you all remember Squall's world was overrun by Heartless, and he lost Rinoa in the process. The survivors found their way to Radiant Garden and Squall and his team were hired by Ansem. Lea showed up pretty early on, introducing himself to Squall and badgering him into helping Lea figure out what's going on in the labs under the castle. They discover Xehanort is up to no good, but before they can take their investigation further, Cloud goes missing. Squall figures out that he's being held under the labs and they immediately mount a rescue. Upon infiltration, they uncover a plot against Ansem, should he interfere with Xehanort's plans. The team detains several of the apprentices while Sephiroth proceeds to plant a piece of his heart inside Cloud. Squall manages to rescue Cloud, but loses Quistis, Zell and Laguna by Sephiroth's blade. Sephiroth let Squall live, for reasons unknown, and Squall loses his grasp on reality in his despair. In his dreamworld, he is visited by Laguna, Rinoa, Zell and Quistis, who give him the desire to continue._

Whew. That pathetic recap should catch you up to the last chapter :D

**TriforceBrave:** Good call! Hope that recap was helpful XD And I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint with its lack of action, but we do have angst! Silly Squall and Cloud can't seem to keep from angsting ^-^ Good luck with exams!

**EvilStormSister:** Lol glad you liked it XD Sorry to keep you waiting for so long! Unfortunately there isn't much in the way of action here, but as I just told TriforceBrave, we do have angst! :D Get excited!

Onward!

* * *

Instead of being stuck inside a Corridor of Darkness, it seemed this portal had a destination. Squall found himself sprawled in front of a doorstep in the city. The sounds of battle were far away, leaving only the whisper of the wind and the sound of voices inside.

Then Zack and Lea came crashing on top of him.

"Ouch," Zack's voice moaned.

Squall picked himself off the ground, massaging his elbow as he did. "Where are we?"

"City outskirts," Lea supplied, rising and dusting off his shirt.

"Why did we run? People are dying back there!" he hissed.

"Not our problem right now," Lea informed, as flippant as ever. "Our problem will be surviving the next couple of weeks."

"What are you talking about?" Squall demanded, glancing from Lea to Zack.

"Let's go inside," the brunet suggested after a moment's pause. "We'll explain everything." He rapped his fist against the door.

It opened before he had stopped knocking. In the doorway stood a thin, pale man. He had sharp features and long ebony hair hanging past his shoulders. He a kind of no-nonsense feel about him, as if all he needed was an excuse and he would kill without question. More disconcerting than that, though, were his eyes. They were as focused and aware as a wolf staring down prey, and as red as spilled blood.

"Hey, Vinny!" Zack greeted enthusiastically.

Red eyes squinted in irritation, then swept over the surrounding area before resting on Zack. "Come in." He stepped back, allowing them passage into the house.

It was a small home, with stone floors covered in mismatched rugs, simple wooden furniture, and two ragged sofas currently occupied by Aeris, Cloud, Irvine and Selphie. A large worktable was centered in the middle of the room, spilling over with papers and schematics. A small kitchen opened up to the side, and a hallway stretched past the far wall and turned out of sight. Squall noticed a certain detachment about the place, as if it hadn't been lived in in a long time. There were really no personal belongings to speak of and a fine layer of dust seemed to cling to every surface.

Aeris immediately left her seat by Cloud to go to Zack. Selphie and Irvine were seated on a sofa, Irvine's arm draped protectively around the girl. They both smiled and rose as Squall walked in. "Well, did everything go alright?" Irvine asked.

"I don't know," he replied, turning to Zack and Lea. "Did it?" He didn't really try to keep the accusation from his voice.

Zack's shoulders seemed to sag as he propped his Buster sword against the wall. He looked twenty years older. "Not exactly. I think I've just been framed for Ansem's murder."

"Murder?" Aeris asked, green eyes wide. "What happened?"

They listened as Zack recounted what had just taken place, Lea interjecting several times with his own observations. Afterward, the room was silent.

"Why did you run?" Selphie finally asked, perching herself on the worktable as she did.

"Because Sephiroth's in on this," Zack said, as if that answered everything. He starting to pace the floor. "Xehanort had said that they had a plan for removing Ansem if things got out of hand, right? Well, after we raided the basement, it would only be a matter of time before Ansem had them arrested."

"So this was all his doing," Irvine concluded. "Set the Heartless loose; in the confusion, dispose of the King. They could have blamed the Heartless for his disappearance."

"But the Heartless aren't really all that dangerous," Aeris said with a frown.

"They are in large numbers," Irvine said, his features immediately darkening in remembrance. "And when they take you by surprise."

"We are the only other people that knew what happened in that basement," Squall interrupted. He was not willing to go down that road right now. "We are the only ones that could still send him to prison. We would have been the next targets. Most likely, that's where the other scientists were. They were looking for us while Xehanort took care of Ansem. But when he saw you still alive, he knew you could ruin his plans. So he pinned it on you to discredit and incriminate you, just in case you survived the night."

"You sure we're the only ones?" Irvine asked. "If anyone else knows, they could get killed."

"Wait, what about Highwind?" Zack suddenly asked, panic on his face.

"He didn't know what happened, did he?" Aeris asked. "He just knew the scientists were persons of interest and weren't allowed to leave."

"But what if he opens his big mouth? They'll kill him!"

Lea put a halting hand to the brunet's chest before he could charge out the door. "Highwind is mouthy, certainly, but he's not an idiot. Once he sees who's in charge, he'll keep his trap shut."

"But how does Sephiroth fit into all of this?" Irvine asked.

Zack scowled at the floor. "If there's one thing I know about Sephiroth, he's got his own ambitions. He's not in it for the same reasons as Xehanort and the others. He's in it for himself. I'm not sure what he stands to gain by any of this."

"Puppets."

Everyone turned to look at Cloud. He was still seated on the sofa, unfocused eyes staring at his hands. "He just wants puppets," he said quietly.

"What do you mean?" Zack pressed. Squall could hear the concern in his voice.

Cloud took his time in answering. "All he seemed interested in was control. He . . . he put a piece of his heart inside of me. He was trying to take over my mind."

Thick silence enveloped the room.

"How?" Aeris finally whispered, tears leaking down her face. "How is that possible?"

"It's not the worst they've done," Lea murmured. "But it's certainly a first. I've never heard of something like this."

"But why? Why does he need . . . puppets?" Selphie asked. "He's some kind of super soldier, right? He could take down fifty men by himself. Why does he need their help? Anyone's help?"

Zack shook his head. "I couldn't begin to tell you. Sephiroth is a genius, so whatever his motives, he's our main threat. He'll figure out we're all alive, and if he still needs Xehanort, he'll come after us to ensure their cover isn't blown."

"Maybe this would be a good time to disappear."

The deep voice startled everyone in the room. The pale man was regarding them all with a crimson stare from his chair in the far corner. He had been so quiet, Squall had forgotten he was there. That, in itself, was scary.

"I'm sorry, who are you?" Lea asked, his voice tense. He probably felt about the same way as Squall did. This man was exceedingly dangerous.

The pale man didn't look the least offended. "Vincent Valentine."

Lea noticeably blanched. "Vincent Valentine?" he repeated. It wasn't every day that Lea was without words.

"You know him?" Zack asked with a grin. "Vinny's been a family friend for years!"

Vincent just stared, almost as if he were sizing Lea up, though there was nothing threatening about his posture. Squall wondered what he was looking for.

Lea seemed to choke out his next sentence. "You . . . feeling better?"

"Much."

"Where'd you guys meet?" Zack asked, looking between the two.

"Xehanort's lab," Lea replied, a scowl fixed firmly on his face. "Except the last I saw you, it was in a body bag." Squall glanced at Zack and Aeris. Neither of them seemed all that surprised. Lea continued, "How'd you get so much _better_?"

Vincent blinked owlishly. "Diet and exercise."

Zack did a double take, staring at Vincent with wide eyes. "Was that a _joke_?"

He ignored that. "If they're out to kill you, maybe you should leave the city."

"We can't just leave while Xehanort's running this place. He'll use the whole city in one of his twisted heart experiments." Zack frowned. "We need a plan."

"But first you need to know their plans," Lea said. "I think I can sneak in there and do some eavesdropping, but that's not going to exactly be a walk in the park."

"I've got contacts in the castle," Zack said. "I could try to send them a message."

"Not tonight."

Everyone turned to look at Squall, as if surprised by the authority in his voice. Squall continued, quieter this time. "We're all tired. It's been a long day. We should get some sleep and figure out what to do in the morning."

Zack nodded. "Good idea. Hey, Vinny, do you still have those futons stashed in the closet?"

Everyone dispersed to find a place to bed down for the night. Vincent had two bedrooms, one of which he took, and the other, by vote, went to Aeris and Selphie. Cloud got the sofa, and both Zack and Irvine insisted that Squall take the other. They both settled on the floor, while Lea propped himself up in a chair by the window.

Squall was half asleep when he heard a voice.

"Squall?"

His eyes shot open by reflex. He turned his head to see Cloud's eyes, glowing a brilliant blue in the dimness, much like Zack's. They hadn't been like that before. "What?" he asked softly.

"Sephiroth said you wouldn't come for me," he whispered. "But you did."

"Yes," Squall responded, confused. Where was he going with this?

"Why did you?"

Squall blinked. "Because."

"That's not a reason."

Squall frowned, a hint of irritation seeping into his voice. "Why wouldn't I come? I wasn't going to just leave you there with those madmen."

Cloud averted his gaze. "Oh."

When he didn't say anything else, Squall rolled over. What was that about? He didn't have much time to dwell, though, before his mind drifted into sleep.

* * *

Despite his exhaustion, Squall woke up with the sun. He wasn't sure if it was the light, or the scent of coffee that awakened him, but he was unable to go back to sleep. He sat up, wiping a hand over his face as he did. Everyone around him was still asleep, but he could hear someone moving in the kitchen. He got up, careful to step around Zack and Irvine, and made his way into the kitchen.

Vincent was standing against the counter, looking out of place amongst the bowls and cookware he had lined up on the countertop, like weapons to be cleaned. He was intently glaring at the back of a box of pancake mix when Squall walked in. "Good morning," he said without sparing Squall a glance.

"Good morning," he replied. He watched a moment more before he said, "Can I help?"

Vincent looked up this time, a glint of hope in his eyes. "Can you cook?"

Squall gave an affirmative. Rinoa had taught him to know his way around a kitchen. He was no master chef, but he could follow a recipe. Vincent gratefully shoved the mix into his hands. "What is a _tsp_, anyway?" he muttered as he moved to the sink to peel oranges.

Squall busied himself with the preparation of breakfast, quickly discovering that Vincent was the typical bachelor. His pantry consisted of dehydrated and canned foods, and his refrigerator only contained the minimum of necessities.

Vincent pulled a carton of milk from a grocery bag, along with a flier. "As I was leaving the market, I saw royal messengers posting these." He handed the paper to Squall.

Squall skimmed it over. "There's going to be an address in the main plaza regarding the 'recent acts of terrorism?'" Squall asked with a frown, reading it over more carefully this time. It was scheduled for the next morning.

"It might be a good idea to go," Vincent said, his attention back on his oranges. "If you insist on staying in town."

Squall nodded. "In the meantime, we need to be gathering reinforcements."

"For what?" Zack yawned, entering the kitchen. His bleary eyes immediately zeroed in on the coffee and he helped himself to a cup.

"Xehanort needs to be taken care of. You said so yourself."

Zack blinked sleep out of his eyes. It was becoming apparent to Squall that he was no early riser. "Eh?"

Squall sighed. "I'll explain at breakfast."

It wasn't much longer before he had the pancakes finished and stacked on a paper plate. Slowly the group assembled, shuffling in and helping themselves to breakfast. Selphie was the last to arrive, skipping the food altogether and heading straight for the coffee.

"There is going to be an address tomorrow in the main plaza," Squall announced when everyone had sat down throughout the living room. "I'm going to be there."

"What for?" Lea demanded. "I can already tell you what it's going to be about."

"I'm going to be sure," Squall said, ignoring Irvine and Selphie's disapproving looks. "But today, we need to tap every resource available to us. This is going to get a lot worse before it's over, and we'll need all the help we can get."

"I have already taken the liberty of contacting AVALANCHE." Vincent informed.

"AVALANCHE?" Irvine repeated.

"They're a small antigovernment group we've been hunting for years," Zack said with a frown. "They're led by some hothead miner with a chip on his shoulder. They're not much of a threat, really. Only a few incidents of property damage under their belts. Still a nuisance, though. Why would they help us?"

"Guess who's antigovernment now?" Lea smirked.

"I'm not antigovernment!" Zack insisted.

Lea shrugged. "You're against this government. That counts." He turned his attention to Squall. "I know someone that might prove useful."

Squall nodded. "We'll need them. And anyone you and Aeris know might help," he said to Zack.

The brunet rubbed the back of his neck. "Sephiroth's always had more sway over the men than I have. But I'll see who I can come up with."

"So," Lea said. "First plan of action is assemble our army. Then we take the castle back?"

Squall nodded. "Exactly."

* * *

He tried to pay attention to what was going on, but his mind was too busy wondering back to what had happened in the lab. It had only been yesterday, right? Or was it the day before? It all seemed like a blur. He hadn't really slept since. Every time he closed his eyes he could still see the writhing mass of Sephiroth's heart. The image was burned in the back of his eyelids.

Even more terrifying was the question that had nagged him since he had awakened: Why was he here? He was worthless as a soldier. He couldn't seem to do anything right, but Squall had come back for him, and they even took him here, to the heart of their rebellion. Why, though? Every time Cloud was harassed, Squall had intervened, but with a look on his face that said he'd rather be doing the harassing. He never joked with him, never confided in him. As far as Cloud could tell, Squall didn't care if Cloud were alive or dead.

_He's got to have some ulterior motive, then._

Maybe he had to prove something to Zack. Maybe Zack had insisted he save Cloud. That seemed to make the most sense. But Squall didn't seem particularly close to Zack, either.

As a matter of fact, the only ones Squall seemed to willingly associate with were those from his world. Was that significant?

_He can't be trusted._

The sudden thought surprised him with its intensity. But it was true, wasn't it? Squall couldn't be trusted. He had given Cloud no reason to trust him.

So he would watch, then. Watch and wait for Squall to prove what he was really after. And, if necessary, Cloud would intervene.

He wasn't going to be taken advantage of again. He was tired of being picked on and ridiculed. He was tired of being weak.

Starting now, things were going to change.

* * *

Our lil' Cloudy is growing up into the angst prince we know and love! And now we have just doubled our angst content by adding Vincent Valentine to the scene :D

Geez, I must be sleep deprived or something . . .

Did you catch the Sleeping Beauty reference? ;) Sorry for the lack of action, folks, but all in good time! Next chapter, we rally our troops! Have an amazing week!

God Bless,

-RainFlame


	17. Chapter 17

Yay! Updates! Look at this, once a week! Who would have seen that coming?

**Evil StormSister:** Lol Cloud needs to get a hold of himself XD Ridiculous boy. I'm so glad you're enjoying the angst, and the dialogue! I actually really wasn't sure about that chapter, but no one seemed to have a problem with it -shrugs-. Enjoy!

**Axel'sChakrams8:** Vincent _does_ have a sense of humor :D That tsp was the Sleeping Beauty reference lol. My favorite part in the movie :3 Hope you enjoy!

* * *

The main plaza was packed with humanity, and it was all Squall could do to not turn around and leave. He had never liked crowds to begin with, but this was worse. Rumors had already spread across the town, each more horrid than the last, and Squall decided that it had had a considerable impact on the peoples' psyche. The crowd was uneasy. People shifted restlessly, murmuring to each other and breathing nervousness into the air. It was stifling.

Squall had already managed to find one of his cadets from Garden. She was one of the many guards spaced along the perimeter of the crowd. Cadet May Renolds had been diligently scanning the throng for threats when she had seen him, and Squall had been relieved when she didn't react at all. She was either still loyal to him, or was giving him the benefit of the doubt. He didn't train his cadets to pass judgment based on circumstantial evidence, after all. He had slipped Renolds a piece of paper with a location, date and time, then let the crowd swallow him back up. Getting caught here, in the middle of a hundred castle guards now under Xehanort's command, would do nothing to further his plans.

"Citizens of Radiant Garden!"

Squall was jerked from his thoughts and looked up to see Xehanort on the terrace, flanked by Dilan and Aeleus. Sephiroth loomed in the background like a ghost. This was what everyone had been waiting for. This would be the confirmation of their fears.

"You are all aware of the horrendous attack that took place on our castle," Xehanort continued. "And I am sure you have heard the rumors that Ansem is dead. It is with great sorrow that I tell you it is all true." A murmur of disbelief swept through the crowd. Xehanort raised his hands for silence. "It appears to have been a conspiracy, planned by those whom Ansem trusted most. We are still investigating, but we believe we know the names of at least two of the murderers. Former General Zack Fair and former First Lieutenant Squall Leonhart."

Well, Squall had certainly made an impact.

"Zack Fair would never murder his king!" a voice cried out from somewhere in the audience. Squall couldn't see the speaker, but he thought he recognized the voice. Maybe a soldier that had been under Zack's command?

Xehanort did a pretty good job of looking torn up about it. "It seems Zack Fair has been deceiving us all from the very beginning. We have uncovered ties between him and a terrorist organization that has been plotting to overthrow the government for years." The lies fell fluidly from his lips, no trace of guilt to be found.

"But who will lead us now?" another voice demanded, asking the question no one else wanted to.

"The council will decide in due time who the successor will be," Xehanort informed. "For now, the council has appointed myself as the temporary ruler until a permanent one can take my place. Our first priority is the investigation into Ansem's murder. I encourage every one of you to be on the lookout for the suspects, as they have yet to be detained. That is all."

Xehanort turned away and headed inside, Dilan and Aeleus close behind. Sephiroth paused to scan over the crowd and Squall had to resist the urge to duck. That was ridiculous. There was no way the General could spot him in this crowd, especially while wearing a hood over his head. Apparently finding nothing, Sephiroth retreated into the castle. When he disappeared from view, the crowd erupted in a dull roar as everyone began discussing the recent news at once.

Squall left as quickly as possible, the confirmation of their suspicions weighing heavily on his mind.

* * *

When he arrived at Vincent's house, he quickly discovered there was no one home but Cloud, who greeted him with a blank stare as he closed the door behind him. "Where is everyone?" Squall asked, hanging Vincent's hooded cloak by the door, then removing his belt with the _Lionheart_ sheathed on it and placing it on the table. Rinoa used to get so annoyed with him for leaving his weapons on the kitchen table. At the memory, a ghost of a smile almost graced his lips, but when he looked up to see Cloud's eyes, all mirth vanished. His stare wasn't exactly blank. It was deeper, colder than that. Despite the faint glow, his eyes were dark.

"They went to meet AVALANCHE," he supplied, his voice possessing a hollow tone it had only recently acquired.

"I see," was all Squall said. "When will they return?"

"I don't know."

Squall didn't continue the conversation. Well, what was there to do? He certainly didn't want to sit and stare at Cloud all afternoon. He pulled his gunblade from its belt and made his way to Vincent's backyard.

It wasn't exactly a backyard, though. It was more like a space of dirt with no fence or yard to speak of. It was a cool autumn day, with a light breeze and a weak sun, and Squall was eager to take out some of his frustrations through physical exertion. He peeled off his jacket and tossed it aside, then raised his blade and began going through the familiar motions of his warm-up routine.

It was moments like these that he could truly feel peace of mind, when there was nothing but him and _Lionheart_ and everything was reduced to a simple clarity, all black and white with no shades of gray. He moved the blade like a deadly extension of himself, the motion and stillness, give and take all making the kind of perfect sense that couldn't be found in everyday life. It was an effortless dance, but it required focus and awareness to execute properly, and that was the kind of respite Squall's mind needed. He didn't want to think about his world and the Heartless. He didn't want to think about all the people he had lost there. He didn't want to think about Rinoa, Laguna, Quistis and Zell, and he didn't want to think about Xehanort and taking back the kingdom. His soul was crying out for a rest that sleep couldn't grant, but somehow this peace could.

But as usual, peace was to elude him.

"Fight me."

Squall had sensed the young man's approach long before he spoke, but he hadn't said a word or stopped his exercises in hopes of him going away. It seemed there was to be no such luck. He halted his movement, wiping away the perspiration clinging to his forehead and brushing back his sweaty bangs before turning to acknowledge Cloud. He was taken aback a moment by the huge sword he carried over his shoulder. It was Zack's Buster sword. Squall could barely lift it off the floor, much less wield it. "You're still not well," he finally said. "I don't think it's a good idea."

Cloud's gaze darkened. "I didn't ask your opinion," he bit back. The black monstrosity attached to his back curled in what was presumably frustration. "Fight me."

It was a struggle to keep the sigh from escaping his lips. Squall had crossed swords with Cloud several times during training exercises, and Squall had come to the conclusion that the younger man didn't have the makings of a soldier. These past few days aside, Cloud was generally gentle, innocent, and overall very passive, none of these things lending themselves well to a soldier's work. He held back when he fought, and even when he gave it his best, his attacks were weak and poorly delivered. And now Cloud wanted to fight, when he was obviously not well, struggling with emotional problems, and as if that weren't enough, adjusting to a new limb. To fight now would be unfair and probably not good for Cloud's self-esteem.

But maybe if Squall hadn't been so wrapped up in his own frustrations, he would have caught on sooner.

"Are you sure you don't want to do this later?"

Cloud scowled. "Now."

Squall actually sighed this time. "Whatever."

Instead of his acceptance easing Cloud's irritation, it only seemed to annoy him further. His scowl deepened as he stepped out in front of Squall and leveled the Buster sword.

Squall felt the faintest bit of unease at that. Zack had said the Mako would make Cloud stronger, but certainly he hadn't had enough for it to make this kind of an effect, was it?

Before Squall could ponder it further, Cloud lunged forward.

It was all Squall could to do get out of the way. He dropped and rolled, grateful that his head was coming along for the ride as the Buster sword narrowly missed its mark. Squall had to admit, he was not prepared for that. How had he gotten that much momentum so quickly?

He scrambled to his feet, in time for Cloud to swing around, bringing his blade with him. Squall put up his gunblade to deflect the blow. The Buster sword hit hard, shaking Squall to the core and forcing him stagger back to maintain his balance.

So maybe he had severely misjudged the situation at hand. This was not the Cloud he had sparred with only five or six days ago. This was someone else entirely, with new strengths and weaknesses Squall did not yet know.

Despite all of that, something else wasn't right here. It was as if Cloud was taking no precautions whatsoever, like this was a real battle to the death.

That was a disturbing thought. But Squall really didn't have time to ponder it. Cloud was coming at him with his sword held to the side, ready to cleave him in two if he didn't move.

Squall ducked and rolled out of the way again, coming up a good ways from Cloud's reach. "What are you doing, Cloud?" he asked, doing what he thought was an excellent job of keeping the apprehension out of his voice.

Cloud seemed to be ignoring him. Instead, he advanced with red hot fury in his eyes.

"Cloud," Squall barked, forcing enough authority in that word to get the attention of a small army. Cloud didn't even flinch. Words were going to get him nowhere fast.

But Squall was already reworking on his strategy. Cloud may have had superior strength and even more speed than he had had previously, but he was still wielding a rather large and awkward sword. The longer the blade, the more effort required to move and control it. Squall's moves were all fluidity and finesse, skilled and practiced movement honed by years of experience. Cloud, however, threw his sword around like a novice, with almost no grasp of the fundamentals of swordsmanship. All in all, perhaps they were evenly matched, unless you considered mental state. Cloud seemed to be fighting in a rage, exerting all of his effort into landing a blow on Squall, and while he was doing a fairly good job of almost nailing him, he wouldn't hold out for long at that rate. If Squall could just stay out of his way and wear him down, he would at least stand a chance.

But if that didn't work, he could always run.

Labeling that thought as a last resort, Squall brought his sword into a defensive position.

* * *

Cloud was surprised he felt as well as he did. There wasn't a sign of weakness anywhere in his body, even in the atrocity that sprouted from his back. In fact, the wing felt almost natural, as if it had been there forever. He felt . . .perfect.

_Perfect enough to kill Squall._

The thought startled him, enough so that he stumbled in his advance on his brunet opponent and his anger seemed to subside. Was he actually going to kill Squall, if given the opportunity? Was that really the road he wanted to travel?

_He knows you don't trust him. _

So what? If he killed Squall now, what would Zack say? Zack didn't seem to think there's anything wrong with him, and Zack abhorred murder. Wasn't this murder?

_If you don't kill him, he'll kill you._

Cloud stared across the way at Squall. He held his gunblade in his hand, his grip as steady as his stance. He was ready for Cloud's next move. Cloud met his gray-blue eyes, finding a trace of confusion and apprehension. Beyond that, though, was something darker. It was like looking at an oncoming storm, or the steel of a knife, cold and merciless.

_He wouldn't hesitate to kill you._

It was self-defense. There was no way around it. He would have to be killed.

Cloud rushed forward, using his wing for speed and control and bringing his blade to bear on Squall. He had sparred with Squall before, and it always ended with being overly criticized and humiliated. Now the tables had turned. So what if he didn't have the skill or finesse that Squall had? He had a reach that Squall didn't, and now far more strength. He could still feel the burn of the Mako in his veins, making his muscles feel like steel cords, strong and invincible.

He would defeat Squall. It was impossible for him not to.

_Then you'll kill him._

Yes. Then he'd kill him.

* * *

Squall had seen Cloud pause and took full advantage of the break. He was already tired, the force of Cloud's blows physically draining him beyond what he was used to this early in a battle. He also took the time to observe Cloud. The look in his blowing eyes betrayed the conflict inside of him. What was he thinking? Was he perhaps coming to his senses?

Then, Cloud's entire demeanor changed. The rage seemed to just disappear, his posture straightening and a dangerous calm settling around him.

Squall blinked. Did his eyes just flash green?

Cloud rushed forward.

Everything had changed again. This was nothing like his opponent a few moments before. Cloud attacked with a speed and ferocity that wasn't like him at all. His movement was now more precise and fluid. It was like the difference between a turtle and a swan.

He hit and hit hard. It was all Squall could do to move, dodge and block. The flurry of blows rained down on him, jarring him and forcing him back. There was nothing he could do to get out from underneath them, and no chance of getting an attack in himself. His arms shook under the force, and he knew his arms wouldn't last much longer.

And then in one swipe, Cloud's sword caught his and ripped it free from his hands. Squall dove for it as it flew through the air, but Cloud's boot connected with his side and he tumbled to the ground.

He kept rolling, hoping to keep going out of Cloud's reach and find his feet again. He stopped suddenly, though, when he rolled into a sharp edge.

Cloud stared down at him, neither haughty nor ashamed. His face was simply a mask of ice. Time seemed to slow to a painful crawl. He raised his sword high and Squall's heart stopped.

A smile slithered across Cloud's face. A frozen, familiar smile.

Then a shot rang out, sharp and sudden. The smile twisted into a grimace, blood spurting from his arm. Then his blue eyes widened and Squall saw horror there.

Cloud dropped the sword and ran.

* * *

Cloud needs therapy :/

Lol hope you enjoyed. Please review, and have a great day!

God Bless,

-RainFlame


	18. Chapter 18

Well, we all know that my update-every-week streak couldn't last very long. I went on vacation, where I had only dial-up -shudders- then came home to find our internet out -.- Life isn't fair like that lol.

**Jennypen:** Lol I never left! I just get slow sometimes XD But I've plans to finish this this summer. We'll see if that works out for us lol. And I'm glad that was what you were looking for! I thought there was a subplot that I completely forgot about and got scared XD

**Evil StormSister:** Are you in that Evil High Pressure Pocket of North America too? I can't remember a day it hasn't hit over a 100 degrees XD Eww. And I'm going to give you credit for the improvement of battle scenes! It was basically you that brought attention to it in the first place, so I'm glad you approve :) Thank you for all of your help in the area, and hopefully it will continue to improve!

Enjoy :D

* * *

Squall stared as he disappeared down the alleyway, leaving only a trail of crimson in his wake.

Vincent stood at the side of his house, still holding his gun at the ready and tracking Cloud until he was out of sight. Then he slowly lowered the weapon and turned his gaze to Squall. "Are you alright?" he asked as Irvine, Selphie, Zack, Aeris and Lea ran up behind him.

"What happened?" Selphie demanded, her brown eyes wide. She ran and crouched beside him, fixing her gaze on his side.

He looked down to see blood seeping through his shirt and frowned. That must have been from rolling into the Buster sword. He pressed his gloved hand to it to stifle the flow and winced. "It's not deep," he assured her as the others crowded around him.

Irvine offered him a hand up and he accepted. His head spun from the sudden movement, but it passed quickly enough.

"What happened?" Zack repeated Selphie's question frantically. He rounded on Vincent. "Did you just _shoot_ Cloud?" By the end of his question, his voice had soared up several octaves.

Vincent regarded him with his usual calmness, which seemed to border on indifferent. "If I hadn't, Squall would be dead."

The color drained from Zack's face. "Cloud was going to kill you?" he asked Squall. Squall just nodded in response. What else was there to say?

"Which way did he go?" Aeris asked. Squall gestured vaguely down the right side of the alley. Before anyone had the presence of mind to stop her, she took off.

"Aeris!" Zack shouted, chasing after her. "Aeris, wait!"

"C'mon, Squall," Irvine said after a moment. "Let's go inside and have a look at that," he gestured to his side.

Though he wouldn't admit it aloud, sitting down didn't sound like such a bad idea. "Go help Zack and Aeris," he said, looking between Irvine and Selphie. At the looks he received, he continued. "I'll get it cleaned up," he promised. "It's not serious."

"Better not be," Selphie muttered. "Can't leave you alone for a couple of hours before you pick a fight with someone."

"Squall just has a way with people," Lea commented for the first time, smirk firmly fixed on his face.

Squall gave them both a withering look, but they ignored it. Selphie grabbed Irvine by his sleeve and proceeded to follow orders. Lea turned and went inside.

Squall and Vincent glanced at each other before going indoors as well, Vincent stopping to pick up Zack's sword on the way. "Do you have a first aid kit?" Squall asked.

Vincent propped the sword against the wall next to Squall's. "Sit," he ordered, gesturing to a chair at the table and disappearing into his bedroom.

Squall sat at the table, ending up across from Lea, who had helped himself to a sleeve of crackers. "So," Lea began, tearing into the package, "Sephiroth's pushed Cloud over the edge, huh?" He sounded almost bored.

"What do you mean?" Squall asked.

"You don't just get some other guy's heart put into you and walk away with no side effects," Lea informed. "Stands to reason that he's got Cloud's brain scrambled."

"Scrambled?" Squall repeated.

"I think he means _confused_," Vincent said as he walked in, setting a case and a wet cloth on the table.

"Don't put words into my mouth, vampire. I mean scrambled," Lea retorted with a trace of irritation in his usual mask of sarcasm.

"Vampire?" Vincent asked, almost managing to sound indignant.

"Do I stutter?" he asked, biting into a cracker with more viciousness than was probably warranted. "Anyways, we can't keep him if he's unstable like that."

"He's not some stray cat. We can't just turn him out like one," Squall huffed, carefully wiping away the blood from his side. The cut was easily five or six inches across, but not very deep. It would be annoying for a while, but nothing terribly inconvenient.

"I'm just sayin' we can't keep him here."

Vincent crossed his arms. "Where else can we keep him?"

"What about one of your AVALANCHE buddies? Don't they have someplace to hold him for a while until we get this mess sorted?" Lea asked, flicking a large crumb off the table and onto Vincent's booted foot.

If Vincent was annoyed, he didn't show it. "No."

Squall massaged the bridge of his nose. Things were getting worse and worse. First Ansem and Xehanort, now this. Cloud would either draw the unwanted attention of law enforcement, or probably end up stabbing Squall in the back; literally, of course. What was he supposed to do? What did the cosmos want from him? There was only so much he could handle at once.

The back door opened and the Zack walked in. Aeris followed with tears in her eyes and Zack's hand tightly clutched in hers. "We can't find him," Zack announced, his voice grim. "Selphie and Irvine are still looking." He guided Aeris to one of the sofas and sat down beside her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

Well, nothing new. Just one more thing going wrong.

"You met with AVALANCHE?" Squall asked. It was time he was brought up to speed, and wondering over Cloud's whereabouts while others were out looking for him was pointless.

Zack nodded. "Yeah. They've got a team of four and they're willing to let us join."

"Four?" Squall asked, careful to keep the frustration out of his voice. They needed more like fifty.

"Yeah, but they're good," Zack assured him. "The problem's going to be wresting authority from their leader. Barret thinks he has to run everything."

Squall massaged the bridge of his nose in an effort to ward off the headache growing behind his eyes. He would almost rather forgo the assistance than have a power struggle with this Barret.

"I'm going to check out for a bit," Lea announced, standing up and stretching his arms over his head. "Have some errands to run."

"When you come back, bring an army, will you?" Zack asked with a weak smile.

"Heh, I'll see what I can do," he replied, heading out the door.

When it shut, silence fell over the room. "Guess we should at least wait for Selphie and Irvine to get back before making any plans?" Aeris asked.

"What about Lea?" Vincent questioned.

"We'll fill him in if he's not back yet," Zack replied. "He always seems to know everything anyway." A frown slowly spread across his face and he looked up at Vincent. "By the way, what's he got against you?"

Squall had been wondering the same thing. He had never seen Lea so nervous or irritable than when he was around Vincent. Apparently he wasn't the only one that had noticed.

Vincent didn't seem all that concerned. "I've seen Lea in some . . .difficult circumstances. I probably remind him of what we went through."

"He didn't like you then either, I take it?" Zack asked.

He shook his head. "He saw me as competition. I'm not sure why. Perhaps it was something to keep himself alive."

No one questioned him further. Squall wasn't too sure he wanted to know what the two men went through in that basement.

It was some time after that that Irvine and Selphie walked in, both looking weary in a way that went beyond physical exhaustion. Squall could relate. "We can't find him anywhere," Selphie said as they slumped down on the couch adjacent to Zack and Aeris'.

"We looked down every back way and alley in a ten block radius," Irvine reported. "There's no sign of him. We asked around, but no one even saw him. It was like he disappeared into thin air."

Zack rubbed the back of his head. "Well, what now?"

All eyes shifted to Squall.

He didn't want this. Why was he being forced to take charge here? He wasn't a commander of anything. Zack was the General. He should be the designated leader, not Squall.

_I don't know._

He wanted to say those words, too. He wanted to say them aloud. They were true. He had no idea what to do next. What choices did they have? As far as he knew, they had no army, no means of taking back the kingdom. It would be like a drop of water rebelling against the ocean: impossible and unthinkable.

_You're SeeD. This is what you do._

The words were a whisper from his memory. He had said those words to himself many times before. Every time he had a tough call to make, or another squad was killed in action, or a mission went horribly wrong, those words echoed through his mind like a mantra, a justification of sorts. This was what he was, and that was that.

But ever since his word was destroyed, those words didn't seem to matter. It wasn't his job anymore. He couldn't hide behind a title that claimed danger and authority came with it. After the mistakes he had made, he refused to hide behind that ruse any longer.

What was he really? Without his title, he was nothing. He was just a man that made more mistakes than he wanted to remember. His decisions got people killed and worlds destroyed. He didn't trust himself anymore.

But his team did. And Zack did, and Aeris did. They were all waiting for him.

He rubbed a hand over his face in an attempt to block out their stares. "I need some time to think. Selphie, Irvine, let's go meet Renolds." He pushed his chair back and lead the way out the door.

* * *

Cloud sat huddled in a dark alley, shivering with adrenaline and fear and desperately trying to stop the bleeding. His hand shook as he ripped off a piece of his shirt and wrapped it around the injury.

What had he done?

He had tried to kill Squall! He had never killed anyone in his life, and he was going to murder one of his only friends!

_He's not your friend._

_Yes, he is!_ Cloud wanted to scream. It seemed like all of his thoughts were in a jumble. Nothing made sense. Every thought conflicted with another, every decision second guessed. He was confused and afraid. This was not who he was!

_Then what are you?_

He knew for certain that he was no murderer.

_That's not what I just saw._

_Shut up!_ he thought. What was wrong with him? What had Sephiroth done?

_Don't you see?_

His breathing hitched and his heart skipped. That thought . . .these thoughts, they weren't his.

_No, puppet. They're mine._

* * *

Dun dun duuuuuunn . . .

I sense intense drama in the near future.

Please review if you will, and have a great week!

God Bless,

-RainFlame


	19. Chapter 19

*slinks in* Hai . . .update, anyone? :D

I do have a good excuse. I'll save it for the bottom, tho.

**Axel'sChakrams8:** Haha I need to be the one apologizing for not writing faster lol. Geez, it's been forever. Yes, Cloud could definitely benifit from therapy. And maybe medication XD The poor kid. Sephiroth is super creepy, though .-. He'd give anyone a complex. Glad you're still here with us! :) Enjoy!

**Evil StormSister:** Oh! Happy birthday! Hope it was a good one! ;) Naw, I can't kill them (yet XD)! Squall would have a mental breakdown. Then he'd be asking Sephiroth for a job. Poor Squally can't seem to catch a break :( Anyways, hope you enjoy! :D

**KMSaum:** Holy Moses! I'm so glad you're back! :D Hope you stick around awhile ;) And I'm glad it's not a complete fail without your epic betta-ing :)

**Blaur Schmettering:** Aww, thank you! I'm so glad you're enjoying it! (And isn't Axel simply epic in every way? :D) Glad you're with us!

Onward!

* * *

Reynolds had promised to rally as much help as she could. With that out of the way, Squall now had to move on to other things, such as actually planning the takeover of an entire kingdom.

Things were moving far too slowly. Squall could sense their time running out, like a cat senses a storm approaching. Instinct urged him to run, to get away before the world fell apart around him. This had to be finished. Soon.

"What did Reynolds say?" Irvine asked the moment Squall walked in the door. A quick survey of the room told him Lea was still out.

"She promised to get as much help as she could. She'll be waiting for our signal."

"Signal?" Zack demanded. "We don't even have a plan yet! When are you going to give a signal?"

Squall didn't bother looking at him as he moved into the kitchen, passing Aeris and Selphie on the way. "Within the week."

"The week?" the room chorused together.

Squall looked up and frowned. "Is that going to be a problem?"

"Squall," Selphie said, "We haven't even met with AVALANCHE . . ."

"That's where we're going right now. Get your things."

"What about Lea?" Selphie asked.

"He's a big boy now," Irvine said, the barest hint of disdain in his voice. Apparently he didn't like the idea of Selphie being concerned about him. "He can take care of himself."

Selphie scowled. "That's not what I meant."

"Leave him a note," Squall said in exasperation. "We have no idea if he'll be back tonight or next week, and this can't wait." Every day they sat around upped the risk of them being discovered. Staying in one location for any extended period of time was risky enough, much less staying there for weeks.

They waited, Squall impatiently, as Selphie scribbled a note and left it on the table. When she finished, Vincent led them all outside.

The night air was cold and the sky was clear, allowing an excellent view of the stars above. It was quiet, with only the twittering of chocobos and the occasional voices leaking out from the surrounding homes to break the silence. It was the perfect evening. Rinoa would have liked it.

"It's not too far from Vincent's place," Zack assured him, as if Squall was worried about it. "Just a few more blocks and we should be there!"

How did he manage to always be so cheery about the most inane things? Squall glanced around a vacant town square as they passed through it, searching for threats out of habit. "Tell me about Barret." If Squall was going to try to get control over the situation, he needed to know who he was dealing with.

Zack grinned. "A hotheaded moron."

"Zack!" Aeris admonished with a frown.

He at least had the intelligence to feign an apologetic look before continuing. "Barret's all passion and no control. Guess there's something to be said for passion, though. Anyway, he's got the temper of a wet chocobo. He's not going to be easy to negotiate with, that's for sure."

"Wonderful," Squall muttered. "What about his team?"

"Well, he said he has four, but I've only met three. One's barely big enough to carry the giant boomerang-thing she totes around-"

"It's a shirukin, Zack," Aeris giggled.

"Are they capable?" Squall asked.

"They seem to be," Zack said, rubbing the back of his head in thought. "They've caused enough trouble in the past to- Hey, what's going on?"

Vincent had come to a sudden halt. Everyone stopped behind him as he held up a hand for silence, his clawed attachment shinning faintly in the moonlight. Everyone held their breaths and listened. The night seemed to freeze around them, revealing nothing. Squall was about to move when his gut twisted with unease and the hairs on his neck rose. It was a familiar sensation. "Heartless," he murmured.

They arrived quickly and in large numbers, at least thirty of them swarming out of a side alley in one dark wave. But it wasn't their speed or numbers that caused Squall's breathing to hitch in surprise and fear. It was their variety.

There were the usual Heartless, insect-like and black as shadow, but then there were Heartless that were almost as tall as Squall was, with armor and helmets that clinked when they walked. There were small bell-like Heartless with blue bodies that darted through the air and spewed ice magic, and winged Heartless the color of dried blood that followed in their wake. Despite their different appearances, Squall still knew they were Heartless. They all had the same empty eyes.

Squall had processed this in a moment, and raised _Lionheart_ to block the first blow by an armored Heartless aimed at Selphie. "Fall back!" he shouted. In such a narrow street, and with the number of Heartless they were dealing with, they were at the disadvantage. It wouldn't take long for the Heartless to surround them with all the alleys, and in such a confined space, no one would be able to use their weapons without risking injury to their comrades. They needed to get back to the town square.

There seemed to be no second thoughts on the subject. As a unit, they all turned and ran back up the street. Either they had come to the same conclusions Squall had, or they trusted him completely. The last one frightened him a little.

Squall and Vincent brought up the rear. Their feet flew over the cobblestone as ice spells nipped at their heels. Squall didn't want to risk a glance back. He kept his eyes on the end of the street. Cold sweat gathered on his forehead. He could feel the Heartless behind him and their terrible hunger. It was as if he were developing a sixth sense toward the monsters, their presence leaving a dark, terrible blot on the edges of his perception.

Squall felt a claw rake across his leg, leaving fire and ice in its wake. He almost fell, but Vincent caught him and they kept going.

"Where did they come from?" Squall could hear Zack yelling. Squall was wondering the same thing. He had never seen Heartless out on their own before. There had to be one of the apprentices out there with them. That or they had escaped.

Or had been turned loose.

The group tore into the square, gaining enough ground so they could turn and regroup. They were ready for the monsters when they came, and Squall met them steel first.

Their attack was strong, but the Heartless had them with numbers. Every time Squall cut one down, two more rose in its place. There seemed to be a never ending supply of them.

"Squall, we can't hold this up forever!" Zack yelled from beside him.

Squall knew that very well. His side was starting to bleed from his previous injury, and he was tiring quickly. It wouldn't take long for him to be out of the game.

He parried the clumsy swing of an armored Heartless and dispatched it with a decapitating blow. "If we leave, they might go after the civilians!" He didn't like how worn his voice sounded. His muscles burned and his breath was short. If the onslaught didn't end soon, they would all die here.

"What should we do?" Selphie asked from somewhere behind him.

He swept his gaze over the Heartless, looking for some sign their numbers were starting to wane, for any signs of respite. The square was full now, with dozens of golden eyes and black bodies closing in on them. Squall and his team had formed a small circle, trying vainly to cover each other's backs from the monsters, but the flying ones would have none of that. They dove in behind them, forcing them to keep turning and spinning.

This wasn't good at all.

"Well, I think we're screwed," Irvine mumbled before the world exploded.

That's what it seemed like, anyway. One moment, they were standing there staring down a mass of Heartless, and the next, they were shying away from a wall of flame.

"What is that?" Aeris shouted from where Zack was shielding her.

"It's Lea!" Zack called. The group seemed to sag in relief, but Squall wasn't so sure.

He took advantage of the break to wipe sweat from his brow. He couldn't see anything from beyond the flame, but he heard several battle cries and the sounds of heavy impact. How could Lea possibly control an inferno this large? The walls were easily eight feet high. There was no way he could handle it, then take out several dozen Heartless on top of it.

Finally, the noise ceased. Squall's ears rang with the hollow roar of flames and heavy panting. They waited, Squall gripping _Lionheart_ tightly in his hands, ready for blood. The wall dropped slowly, descending inch by inch until Squall could see over its edges. There were no Heartless in sight, but sure enough, Lea was there. He was sprawled on the ground, sweat dripping down his forehead and gasping for air. Kneeling beside him was a young man Squall didn't recognize. He had pale skin and icy eyes partially concealed by hair that had a strange bluish tint to it. In his hand he clutched a large weapon that vaguely resembled an oversized claymore.

"You overdid it," he scolded, his voice only holding the barest hint of concern. "Idiot."

Squall moved closer, barely sparing the other man another glance as he crouched next to the redhead. "Lea?"

Lea made a pathetic attempt at a laugh. It sounded like he was being strangled more than anything. "I'll be fine," he panted. "Just need to catch my breath."

"I didn't know you had that much . . . power," Zack said, rubbing the back of his head.

"It takes a lot out of him," the other man explained. "Obviously he doesn't always have the best judgment." The comment was obviously a barb aimed at Lea, but he didn't seem to notice.

"I can handle it, got it memorized?" he replied as if it were a familiar conversation. He held up a hand and the other man helped him sit up. "Anyways, everybody alright?"

"Everyone is accounted for," Vincent reported. "No serious injuries."

"Good, good," Lea nodded. "I'd like you to meet my friend. He's not exactly an army, but it's the best I could do. This is Isa."

Isa gave him an unimpressed look.

"Codename Killjoy."

"We have codenames now?" Isa asked.

"What fun is treachery and rebellion without codenames?"

"Then yours is Idiot."

Lea made a pained face. "You're not funny, Isa."

"Yet you keep forcing your presence upon me. Can I go home?"

"No!" the redhead retorted. "You're a criminal now! You've just aided and abetted enemies of the state. You can't just go home!"

Isa gave him a longsuffering look. "Friends aren't supposed to get friends arrested, Lea."

"But best friends do."

Isa winced. "Best friends?"

"Bestest best friends," Lea said with a straight face.

Isa looked like he was the one in pain now. "Please stop talking."

Lea grinned, then gestured to Squall. "This is the brooding, perpetual downer I was telling you about. Meet Squall, our fearless leader. You two should get along fine, since neither of you seem to have much of a personality."

Squall and Isa both glared down at him, but they shook hands. "Pleasure," Isa said.

"Are you a Nobody, too?" Zack asked.

"Zack!" Aeris gasped.

"What? It's not offensive!" He frowned. "Is it?" he looked to Lea and Isa.

Isa and Lea both smirked. "No. It's not offensive," the young man assured him. "And no, I'm not a Nobody."

"We should move," Vincent interrupted. "Barret does not tolerate late hours well."

Squall nodded. "Can you walk?" he asked Lea.

The redhead grunted an affirmative and Isa pulled him to his feet. He swayed, but Isa took some of his weight for him and stared pointedly at Squall.

He straightened. "Let's go."

* * *

Yay! Isa is here XD I think I promised someone he'd show up . . . don't remember who it was tho :/ Hope the fight scene wasn't too much of a disappointment Evil StormSister lol.

By the way, Tiger and Bunny is an awesome show. I highly recommend it. Highly XD It gave my muse the kick it needed to finish this chapter and start another.

Personal note: Feel free to move on if you don't want to read :)

Okay, so I'm sure many of you remember back around when I started this fic that my grandfather was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. Well, about three weeks ago he passed out and was rushed to the hospital where they found severe pneumonia in one lung and bronchitis in the other. After a week of improvement, he aspirated and got double pneumonia. It's been an exhausting life and death battle these past few weeks and we've almost lost him several times. Every time I have to leave home to go back to school, I feel like I may be saying goodbye for the rest of this life. He's 89 years old, and I understand that this may very well be his time to leave this earth and go home, but I'm still not ready to let go, and I don't think he is either. Any prayers for him and my family would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you so much. Hopefully the next chapter will arrive soon :) Please review, and have an awesome day!

God Bless,

-RainFlame


	20. Chapter 20

Hello, hello! A bit of a delay, but it's only been a month or so, right? :D You've seen worse from me XD

**blauer Schmetterling:** Aww, I'm so glad you liked the fight! I was kind of struggling with that one (not sure why. It seems fight scenes have to find me in the right mood or something XD). And English is your third language? Holy Moses! You are way above my head, hun. I speak English and can stumble around Spanish. Don't apologize for it! And thank you for your thoughts and prayers for my grandfather. He passed away a few days after my last update. More on that at the end . . .

**Axel'sChakrams8:** You just take all the time you need! Life gets crazy, and family and school can really kill your free time. All we can do is take it day by day, neh? And you have no idea how happy I got when you said you've loved this fic from the get-go XDDD I'm glad you like Isa, too! I really kinda hated his character in KH2, but I kind of liked him in Birth by Sleep, so he had to be included :) And thank you so very much for your prayers. He passed away about a month ago, but I know your prayers helped.

**Evil StormSister:** You probably already read above, but my grandfather did pass away about a month ago, but thank you so much for your prayers. I know they helped us out, and maybe even him in ways we couldn't see. And the fight scene . . .no, it wasn't my best lol. Your suggestions are great, though. I just need to wring the tension for all it's worth, huh? For some reason, fight scenes have to hit me at the right time, or I'm like, "Bleh, fights . . ." Haha what an awful writer I am!_ 'Depends on my mood,'_ haha pathetic XD I'm glad you like my interpretation of Isa, though! I was kind of nervous, but then really, who doesn't like sarcasm?

Wow I am chatty this evening. Onward!

* * *

"I said NO!" Barret roared, turning on Zack and waving his gun-arm in his face. "This is my resistance! I'm in charge!"

The small living room was packed with both Squall's party and Barret's. Among the other team was Yuffie, a small girl with short dark hair and more energy than Squall could even begin to fathom. Another member was a girl of average height and a strong build. She had long brunette hair and the build of a martial artist. While they waited for the final member to arrive, Zack had tried making polite conversation, but that had gone downhill rather quickly.

Yuffie snickered. "Barrets going to kill you."

Zack retreated a step, putting Barret's chair between the two of them. "I'm not challenging your authority! I'm just saying we stand a better chance with a little teamwork and-"

"There ain't nothin' wrong with my plan!"

"I didn't say there was!" Zack promised.

Squall put an elbow on the dining table in front of him and massaged his forehead. He did not like Barret, but that aside, he was an idiot. The man had no sense when it came to tactical assaults. He probably didn't even know what tactics were. His idea of an assault was "strap some bombs around the place and watch her blow!"

"Mr. Wallace," Squall began, "I don't mean to offend, but your plan won't work."

Lea gave the dark man a blank look. "Your plan is pathetic. And I do mean to offend."

Barret's jaw clenched and Squall was certain it took the man great self-control to keep from hitting Lea. Squall would know. He had the same problem. "What are you tryin' to say?" he snarled.

"I thought it was perfectly obvious-"

"Lea," Isa said.

"Hmm?"

"Shut up." Isa turned to Barret. "Please ignore him. He functions at an abnormally low IQ and should not be taken seriously."

Squall cut in before Lea could summon a retort. "Mr. Wallace, we cannot make this look like some kind of terrorist attack. This has to be precise, aimed directly at Xehanort. If we plant bombs randomly throughout the castle, it could cause the Heartless to escape into the city."

The larger man had a glare that could send a T-Rexaur running for cover. "My plan makes more sense! We take down all of them at the same time! Heartless, too!"

"Barret," one of his team said. It was the martial artist, Tifa. "You need to be reasonable. Squall's making sense."

"He doesn't even have a plan! And neither does that sorry _General_ over there, either." He said 'general' more like a curse than a title.

A sharp knock interrupted any reply Zack might have been summoning. Tifa stepped out from behind the table and looked through the peephole before opening the door.

A man of average height stood in the door, but that was all Squall could tell about him. He was wrapped up in a cloak with a hood pulled up over his head, concealing all of him but the boots on his feet and the glow of a cigarette between his lips.

"Highwind?" Zack exclaimed.

The Admiral pushed the hood back from his face, revealing a scowl. His blue eyes darted around the room before resting on Zack. "What are you doing here?"

"What are _you_ doing here?" Zack repeated. "You're part of AVALANCHE?"

Cid sighed. "I should just arrest you and claim the reward. Buy myself some nice gummi blocks." Instead of that, though, he hanged his cloak on the coatrack and took a seat by the table. "What'd I miss?"

"Not much," Yuffie said.

"Just Barret yelling," Lea added with a smirk. Was he trying to get shot?

Barret was not impressed. "I'm going to wring your skinny-"

"Barret!" Tifa admonished. "Can you try and be civil for a while?"

The larger man gritted his teeth in what, Squall was sure, was a valiant effort at self-control. "Squall wants to take over our resistance," he growled.

Cid gave Squall an appraising look. "And why's that? Going to take the kingdom over in one fell swoop?"

"More or less," Squall replied.

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"Got a plan?"

Squall opened his mouth to reply before Barret interrupted, "That's the best part! He doesn't have one!"

"Barret!" Tifa hissed. The larger man clamped his mouth shut and sulked in his chair.

"I may have something," Squall continued, "but I need to know what I have to work with."

"What is it?" Cid asked.

Squall pulled a map of the castle out from his pocket and unfolded it. "I have some people on the inside, but I don't have a way of knowing how many.

"First, we'll need a distraction. Something far away and minor enough to not arouse the higher-ups, but enough to take some of the guard away." He glanced up at Lea. "I had fire in mind."

Lea grinned. "My specialty."

"My people should be able to hold the guard there. Once we draw the bulk of the guard to the edge of town, we'll need another, much larger diversion. This should take place on castle grounds, or just outside the gates. If we have your assistance, this is where AVALANCHE comes in." He pointed to the western gate of the castle. "This should pull out most of what remains of the guard. While that is taking place, I will take a small team of three and infiltrate the castle and find Xehanort."

Cid arched an eyebrow. "That's it? We're just decoys?"

"It's necessary in an assault like this," Zack pointed out. "They've got us by numbers."

"What about Sephiroth?" Selphie seemed uncomfortable uttering the name.

Squall could feel his blood boiling at the mention of him. "I'll take care of Sephiroth." He didn't promise that lightly, either. He knew the soldier was going to be a problem. Squall could very well get killed removing him, but that was better than him killing any more of his team.

Zack gave him a look, so intense and focused that Squall did a double take. There was something in his gaze, a challenge that Squall didn't understand. What was that for? Was he trying to say something?

"So, that's your plan?" Cid chuckled, interrupting Squall's thoughts. "Just start a couple of riots, storm the castle, then call it a day?"

"Short and sweet," Lea said with a grin.

Barret crossed his arms. "Not interested."

Squall felt a new tension building up in his shoulders. If they didn't lend their assistance, the whole operation would tank. Squall would have to start from scratch, maybe even needing to involve civilians to reach their goals. He desperately needed people with their skills. It could very well make or break the assault.

Cid leaned across the table toward Barret, sending a wave of smoke into everyone's face. "What if I got ahold of a ship for you? Would you do it then?"

Barret's eyes widened. "A ship? I asked you before and you said there was no way you were getting me a ship for-"

"That was then," Cid shrugged. "I don't think I'll be executed for stealing from the king when there is no king. Well? How's that?"

The larger man's eyebrow twitched and his lip quirked, inner conflicts flashing across his face. "You lousy, worthless excuse for a-"

"What Barret's trying to say," Tifa interjected with a scowl, "is that he'll take the deal."

"I can speak for myself!" he howled, slamming a fist on the table.

Squall almost sagged in relief. Was it strange that he was exhausted now?

"Finally!" Yuffie exclaimed. "I am so sick of just sitting around! When do we get to kick some butt?"

Squall glanced her way. "In two days."

* * *

The streets were silent and empty at this time of night, and Cloud knew why. There had been several Heartless sightings over the past couple of days, and people seemed to think they'd be safer if they stayed indoors after dark.

But the Heartless didn't bother Cloud. They seemed to not really care he was there, and even avoided him. Cloud vaguely wondered why, but then dismissed the thought. He had more important things to worry with.

He wasn't sure where he was going, merely going where he felt he should. Something was calling to him, just up ahead. He had to find out what it was.

It wasn't until he reached the castle walls that he realized where he was. This was where he wanted to go? Why here?

A shadow moved and Cloud whirled around to see a large man step from the darkness, silver hair reflecting moonlight.

Sephiroth.

Strangely, he felt no fear. Only a hint of apprehension gnawed at his consciousness, but that was easy enough to dismiss.

"Are you ready to fulfill your purpose?" Sephiroth asked, a thin smile pulling at his lips.

Purpose?

_What you were made for._

'_I can't. . .Zack would-'_

_Now is your chance to show them. You won't be pushed around anymore._

_You can protect yourself._

_You will be feared._

Yes. He wouldn't be someone to order around. He would be the one in control for once. He would pilot his own destiny.

And no one would ever look down on him again.

"Yes. I'm ready."

* * *

I think Cloud just went to the dark side o.o

Sorry this wasn't the most exciting chapter, but I think I've gotten over the writer's block this fic has been giving me for the past few chapters. I can now see to the end. This makes me incredibly happy, as I do adore this fic and want very much to finish it XD

Personal Note:

Many of you have been praying for my grandfather and my family, so I wanted to let you know that he passed away just a few days after my last update. It was really pretty awful for a couple of weeks. Your rational side is telling you he's in a better place, he doesn't hurt anymore, you'll see him again. Then you have your irrational side screaming at God and wanting to know why he would take him away. A lot of you have been there before, but this is the first time I've lost someone close to me. It hit pretty hard, but God is providing a healing and peace I never knew I could have after this. I know my grandfather fought the good fight and his race is won, and I'll get to see him again. I'm not to the point where everything's okay yet, but I know I'll get there. Things are getting better, and I know your prayers have been a major part of that, so I just wanted to tell you guys thank you for that and for your encouragement. You guys are awesome :)

Hope you have a wonderful week!

God Bless,

-RainFlame


	21. Chapter 21

Yay, updates XD

blauer Schmetterling: Thank you very much :) I really appreciate the thoughts. It's so crazy that a dead language is your second XD And I don't know about cooler, but Spanish is definitively easier than French (in my opinion, anyway XD). I've sung in German, Italian, and French, and French almost killed me haha. And I'm glad you think this fic is good! Warm fuzzies :3

Axel'sChakrams8: I'm so glad you liked it! :D This one is a bit longer to make up for the last one being short haha. And I totally appreciate the enthusiasm :D Love getting your reviews ;) I'm afraid poor Cloud is having a mental break .-. Of course, that seems to be the norm for the poor kid lol. And you have an excellent point about readers. I appreciate the encouragement and your thoughts :) Hope you enjoy!

And my dear readers, I give you, a Lea POV! :D Enjoy!

* * *

He couldn't help the grin that lit his face when the fire caught. Just like that and the field was up in flames. Oh, it wasn't any brand of happiness that caused his smile. It was more like a reflex, something bred so deep into his Somebody that it had carried over to his Nobody. He must have really liked fire.

"Can we go now?" Isa asked from behind. He could detect a trace of discomfort in his friend's voice. "Before we're incinerated?"

"After we're sure it won't go out," Lea responded, rising to his feet. He took several steps back away from the flames and brushed off his trousers. "Squall won't be happy if we don't attract a good number of the army."

"He won't be happy if a sixth of his forces burn to death," Isa pointed out. Really, the other man could be such a downer at times. "He kind of needs us. Kingdoms don't collapse all by themselves, you know."

Isa had been a good friend to him. Even after Lea had lost his heart, Isa had always been there. Of course, Lea had wondered if their relationship was still the same, or if Isa would only stick around as long as Lea acted like the old Lea.

Either way, it didn't really matter, he supposed. He didn't care much anyway.

His plans were unfolding near perfect. Aside from a couple of setbacks, such as Laguna's death and Squall's subsequent break from reality, things were clipping along rather nicely. It wouldn't be too terribly long before he had Xehanort in his grasp and would put the murdering lowlife down like the dog he was. But not before finding out how to get his heart back. Getting the people of Radiant Garden out from under the madman's thumb was just a plus to the whole scheme.

It was really a pity that though he didn't have a heart, he still had a conscience. It wasn't quite as apparent as it had been when he had had a heart, though. It was quieter, a voice that kept him awake at night and unsettled him during the day, like an annoying insect buzzing over his skin but never landing. He had every intention of seeing his plans through, and if it hadn't been for his weakness, it would have been done with a long time ago. But there always seemed to be people in the way, people he almost cared about that could get hurt if he dove in too suddenly. What made it even worse was Xehanort and his ilk didn't seem to have the same handicap.

It was almost funny. People with hearts could be more heartless than he was.

"Lea, it's caught, can we go?"

The red head gave him a demeaning smirk. "Afraid of a little fire?"

Isa twirled his claymore expertly and gave him a serious look. In the blaze of the fire and the dancing shadows, he looked older, more dangerous. "I'm leaving. Whether I have to walk back to the castle, or if you give me a lift in your magic portal is up to you."

Saying words like 'magic portal' kind of ruined the image though. "Fine, fine. Let's go." Lea put his hand out in front of him, tearing open the fabric of time and space. There were a few pluses to his heartless state, number one being shortcuts like this. "After you."

Lea followed close behind Isa as they stepped into the darkness. Off to topple the Kingdom.

* * *

"We have fire!" Yuffie's voice chirped over the communication devices wedged in their ears. The exclamation was accompanied by a burst of static and a high squeal that made Squall wince. The devices were an older Balamb Garden design Squall had taken from the Ragnarock, and he was grateful that he had. Despite the world's grand architecture and spacecraft, they seemed to be lacking in technology. "Can we blow up the wall yet?" the ninja asked.

Squall could see the brilliant orange glow on the horizon, lighting up the night from miles away. Lea's abilities were truly impressive.

"Pipe down, Yuffie," Barret grunted over the device, his voice sounding much more distorted than Yuffie's had. "We'll blow up the wall when I say we blow up the wall."

They were all in position, waiting for Squall's cue to commence Phase 2 of their operation. He and Vincent waited on the roof of a building a block away from the castle. Yuffie was perched a block away on the opposite side of the fortress, tasked with the simple job of blowing up the western and southern walls. Irvine and Aeris were placed on a nearby roof to attack and heal from afar. Hiding out on ground level beneath them were Selphie, Barret, Tifa and Zack. Cid was supposed to be in the castle already, securing the _Ragnarok_.

It was the time in an operation Squall hated most: the waiting. There was nothing to do but watch and think, allowing thoughts to wander to places Squall would rather not dwell on.

His conversation with Irvine the day before, for instance.

"_Squall?" _

_Squall glanced up from his maps at the hesitant voice. He sat up, wincing at the soreness in his back. He had been hunched over his plans far too long. "What is it?"_

_Irvine looked past him to the maps on the table. "I wanted to give you my opinion on your plan."_

_Squall did not want to hear it. He already knew. He had looked at it from a dozen angles, assessing weaknesses in the formation, the possible outcomes, the numbers they would be dealing with. Nothing about it looked good. "It's not a good plan. I'm aware."_

_Irvine's blue eyes shot up to meet his, flashing in a defiance the cowboy rarely demonstrated. "Then why, Squall? Why are we going in there, risking our lives for someone else's world? It's not our responsibility." He paused a second. "It wasn't Quistis' or Zell's, either." _

_Squall clenched his jaw. He did _not_ need reminding. _

"_This isn't our fight, Squall. We should just pack up and leave, right now."_

_Squall didn't reply for a moment. He carefully assembled his words in his mind, arranging them so they would have the most effect. Finally, he met the cowboy's gaze with steely resolve. "Irvine, I have people in that castle. People that trusted me to make the right call for their wellbeing. I've already failed them once. It's not going to happen again. I'll do it alone, if I have to, but I'm not going to sit by and watch them go through what Cloud did in Xehanort's labs. I am no longer your commanding officer. You don't have to be here. Leave if you want."_

_Irvine didn't say anything for a long time, a thick, stifling tension settling between them. Finally, though, he turned around and left the way he had come, and Squall wondered if maybe he was leaving for good._

Irvine hadn't left after all. He was out there, ready to begin the assault at Squall's command. Squall wasn't sure if it were guilt or duty that motivated him, but at this point, he didn't care. He desperately needed the firepower.

There were a million things that could go wrong with his plan. All things considered, it wasn't even a good plan, but what choices did they have? There were too many lives at stake, and they were too far in to drop everything and run. The longer they waited, the more likely they would be captured. Squall had good people working in the castle, and he'd sooner off himself than abandon them to a fate under a madman's rule. He had experimented with his people before. Zack, Cloud, Vincent, Sephiroth and Lea were living proof of that. There was no telling what Xehanort would do, but if his lust for knowledge and what had transpired in his lab was any kind of measure, Squall didn't really want to dwell on it. It would make him sick.

The castle gates open and the army poured out. Soldiers armed with shovels and mages with magician hats rode out on chocobos, all heading toward the bright flare. Squall didn't see very many weapons on their person. He did catch sight of a few of his people though, their weapons at their side. Cadet Reynolds had made good on her word.

A hollow ripping sound yanked Squall from his thoughts. He and Vincent both spun, ready to dispatch any threat with a blade or a bullet.

Isa stepped out of the portal, followed closely by Lea. "It's time to get this party started," Lea announced, oblivious or unconcerned with the weaponry pointed at him.

Squall lowered his gunblade. "We'll wait for the army to get too far away to hear. My people should be able to handle them after that." He turned back to gaze over the wall and watch.

"Whatever you say, Squally." Lea collapsed to the ground, propping his feet up on the side of the wall lining the roof.

"You could at least pretend you're nervous," Isa muttered, crossing his arms in front of him. "This is mostly your doing."

"Number one, I couldn't be nervous if I tried. Number two, I didn't kill our dear Ansem. That was all Xehanort. So obviously, it's all his fault."

Squall tried his best to tune them out, to focus and prepare his mind, but their voices kept interrupting his thoughts, dragging him out of his meditations and piquing his temper.

"That sounds mature," Isa muttered.

"No one asked you."

"Even more mature."

"Isa, don't make me set you on fire."

"Both of you, quiet," Vincent hissed. "Before I put a round in your skulls."

"Easy, Valentine," Lea scolded. "This is a big operation. Shouldn't you be meditating or something?"

Squall saw a vein appear on Vincent's forehead. "Quiet, Lea," Squall muttered, making a halfhearted attempt to spare the redhead's life. Since he obviously had no sense of self-preservation.

"Are we going to move or not?" Cid's tiny voice crackled in his ear. Despite the aged technology and interference, his irritation came through clearly. "I can't sit on this thing forever."

"Give it five," he responded.

Cid muttered something Squall couldn't understand before ending the transmission.

The seconds ticked by slowly in relative silence. The tension on the roof rose with each passing minute until Squall was finally satisfied with the time elapsed. He activated his mike. "Red Team, commence Phase 2. Blue Team, Green Team, standby."

Red Team, otherwise known as Yuffie, let out a whoop of delight, accented by a thunderous roar. Light flared and buildings shook as the western wall went up in flames. Nearby buildings were scorched and rubble and shrapnel hurled through the air a hundred meters from the blast zone.

"Wasn't that a bit overkill?" Isa questioned. It seemed Yuffie had gone a bit overboard with the explosives.

It was like stirring an ant hill with a stick. The castle became a hive of activity, men pouring out from the castle and barracks in one dark wave. Soldiers held their weapons at the ready while what few mages they had left put all their efforts into putting out the fire.

The numbers weren't quite what Squall was expecting, though. There seemed to be fewer than he had counted on. Why? Had they been deployed somewhere? The vacant facility on the other side of the city, perhaps? Or inside the castle, maybe, defending their leaders or protecting something more dangerous?

Laguna had always said never to look a gift chocobo in the mouth, but Squall couldn't help but be leery.

When the activity had condensed to the western wall, Squall spoke into his mike. "Red Team, commence Phase 3," he ordered.

"Commencing Phase Three," Yuffie confirmed. Apparently she remembered radio protocol now. There was a much smaller explosion on the north wall. Unlike the first detonation, it was laid precisely and made to deal damage without the flash and flare. In light of the first attack, this one went mostly unnoticed, masked by the roar of flames and shouts of personnel.

"Red Team, rendezvous with Blue Team. Blue leader, proceed when ready. Gold Team is heading in."

Squall turned around to view his team. "Remember, this is a stealth operation. In and out, no side quests. Once Xehanort and his cohorts are eliminated, we're out. Clear?" Everyone responded with a nod. "Let's go, Lea."

Lea responded immediately with a flashy wave of his hand. The portal swirled to life in front of him. Squall stepped through after Lea, holding his gunblade at the ready as he walked into the cold basement.

It was a risky place to start at, to be sure, but it was a likely place for at least one of the scientists to be. Maybe they would even get lucky and find Xehanort first.

With steeled nerves and heightened senses, Squall led them into the dimness.

* * *

Cloud watched the silver haired warrior pace the wall, like a caged tiger. He was waiting, rather impatiently, for the apprentices to form some kind of plan. Cloud didn't like the way they had excluded the both of them from the planning. The apprentices in question were all seated around the wooden table in the briefing room, staring at one another as if waiting for a strategy to form from the air between them.

"Well? What should we do?" Even asked after yet another span of silence.

"I told you," Braig said with a glare. "Just call back the army to take care of the pests. This is the opportunity we've been waiting for. Every one of the traitors is at our doorstep!"

"The fire has to be our first priority," Dilan said. "What if it reached the city? There are too many lives-"

"Don't be so pathetic, Dilan," Braig retorted, kicking back in his chair and balancing it on two legs. "They're cannon fodder. We have bigger concerns at the moment."

"It won't take long for the palace guard to be overwhelmed," Aeleus murmured in his quiet bass. "They are poorly trained and out of practice. A decision needs to be made."

"We could send the General and his puppet to clean up downstairs," Braig said, casting the two a calculating glance.

The word "puppet" caused a hitch in Cloud's thought processes, the barest interruption in an otherwise seamless façade. His mind circled the word, going back to it over and over again like a broken record.

_Puppet. Puppet . . .puppet._

That meant something. It made his chest hurt and his back ache where his black wing twitched restlessly. An uneasy feeling crept into his stomach and his eyes were drawn to Sephiroth. The warrior's gaze was turned toward the apprentices, but when he felt Cloud's eyes on him, he turned to meet his gaze. The poison green eyes glowed and the corner of his lip quirked upward and Cloud forgot the word.

"General?" Xehanort asked. "Do you think you could handle that?"

The expression fell from Sephiroth's face as he turned back to them and said, "Perhaps I may offer a plan of my own, as your thought processes seem to be running in circles."

The barest hint of a smirk quirked Xehanort's lips as he regarded the general. It wasn't an amused smile, though. It was threatening and made Cloud's insides crawl. "Very well. What is your plan?"

"Release the Heartless again."

The apprentices looked from Sephiroth to each other, their faces a combination of trepid and thoughtful. "Release the Heartless?" Even repeated. "We can't do that."

"Why not?" Braig asked. "We've done it before. It's a good idea.

"We completely lost control last time," Dilan objected. "There are already several dozen that escaped from the last assault, out roaming the streets. If we released more and messed this up, we could end up with-"

"What'd I tell you about being pathetic?"

"That's enough, Braig," Xehanort said, his tone thoughtful rather than rebuking. "The General poses a viable option. Possibly our only option. How many of the Heartless do you think it would take, Sephiroth?"

"Not knowing the strength of our enemy, a few dozen of the stronger ones should suffice," the soldier said. "Large Bodies or Defenders. Or perhaps even the Behemoth."

At that, even Braig looked skeptical, but it was Dilan that protested. "We haven't had the Behemoth long enough to-"

"That seems like a manageable number," Xehanort interrupted, his serpentine eyes glittering.

"Xehanort?" Even questioned. "Not that I object, but you do realize the consequences, should we lose control of Heartless that strong?"

A vicious smile split the scientist's face. "I realize."

* * *

Okay, I'll admit it, I'm not happy with this chapter -.- But I didn't want to make you guys wait forever for me to finish tweaking. I've sat on it for a month already . . .Hope the color teams wasn't too confusing (completely took that from Star Wars haha XD).

I hadn't had a Lea POV on purpose until now. I just wanted to show that everything's coming together and wanted Lea to tip his hand a bit XD I love writing in his head. It's fascinating :3

Please review, and have a great day!

God Bless,

-RainFlame


	22. Chapter 22

Hey, guys! Not such a long span between updates, ya?

**blauer Schmetterling:** I have good news for you! More action here XD Yay. And it's mostly just classics that I've sung. You know, Schubert, Schumann and the like. Nothing recent by any means lol ;)

**Evil StormSister:** Hopefully this finds you after exams, and I hope they all went well! So glad you're still enjoying this fic! Hope that this chapter is alright in the fighting department lol. And I'm glad you like my portrayal of Lea. I get nervous when I write characters other than Squall and Cloud for some reason. I probably need to write from other character's POVs more often XD Enjoy your Christmas break!

**Rikuobsession:** You would not believe how ridiculously ecstatic I was when I opened my inbox and saw all of your lovely reviews! Such a wonderful surprise! Thank you for taking the time and effort :) Yeah, Cloud is losing his marbles. Hopefully he'l snap out of it soon XD

**Axel'sChakrams8:** I'm so glad you liked Lea! Like I said before, I get nervous writing for him. His character has such high expectations .-. Scares me lol XD The team part was from the Star Wars books (specifically the squadron series). And Sephiroth is powerful and scary. I'm scared of him o.o And doesn't school just ruin all of the fun things in life? Lol hope you're enjoying your Christmas break!

_**WARNING: **_This chapter is kind of . . .violent. And gory. If you're squeamish, uh, you've been warned.

Aside from that, enjoy! :D

* * *

"Wait." Vincent's command was sharp and hissed, ripping the silence.

No one wasted any time complying. Squall halted in his tracks and listened, his eyes staring hard into the dark.

The basements were a labyrinth, a dark maze of grotesque labs, a handful of offices and storage rooms packed with equipment and Heartless. He had long ago handed the lead to Lea, contenting himself with taking in his surroundings over figuring out where to go.

Squall struggled to hear what Vincent heard, and at first, he was about to dismiss the man's concerns as paranoia. All he could hear was the vacant sound of a hollow stone hallway, the quiet breathing of four human beings, the thump of his heart in his chest.

Then, he heard something so soft he almost missed it. A low hiss, a mere whisper traveling through the air with a sort of ebb and flow, like breathing. Beneath it was a low rumble. His pulse quickened.

"What do you think it is?" Squall asked quietly.

Vincent turned his red eyes to him. Squall had never noticed their unnatural glow until now, as they burned the dark away and illuminated the downward curve of his mouth. "I'm not sure. Something big."

Squall didn't stop to ponder the possibilities. He passed Lea and headed toward the noise.

"Wait!" Lea hissed, clapping a hand on Squall's shoulder. "What are you doing? You're supposed to go _away_ from the creepy noise, not to it!"

"We need to assess any possible threat. I don't want whatever that is sneaking up behind us," he responded, waving Lea away and continuing. The hiss became easier and easier to discern the further in they went. Squall could tell they were very close, maybe just a few meters away from wherever it was.

That's when a door opened somewhere in the basement and their breathing stopped, along with the sound.

"Um, Squall?" Isa whispered. "We should go now."

"This is what we're here for," Vincent said brusquely, sliding past them on silent feet and on ahead, his gun held at the ready. "This way."

"Something big is going to eat us," Isa informed matter-of-factly.

"Stop whining," Lea said, following after Vincent.

A horrible shriek tore through the air, painfully reverberating off the walls and causing the four to crouch in surprise. The hairs on Squall's neck rose on end and a horrible feeling twisted his insides. The ground rumbled as something huge moved.

It was heading in their direction.

"Back to the last office," he ordered. "Now!"

They hurried back the way they had come, trading silence for speed. Their feet clapped on the ground, but it was masked by the rhythm of some larger creature's footfall.

It was moving faster than they were.

Squall found a doorway and threw himself inside. The others piled in behind him and he slammed the door shut, just in time to see a golden light flash underneath the door and the noise rumble past them.

Squall panted, trying to catch his breath from both the run and the fear that coursed in his veins. "Was that a Heartless?"

"Most likely," Lea supplied. "But I've never heard of one that . . . big."

"Did they let that thing loose?" Isa asked, his eyes wide.

"It's probably under their control," Vincent guessed, then he gave Squall a meaningful look. "And it's probably heading to defend the castle."

Squall felt his heart skip a beat.

That monster was heading to attack the other units . . .

His friends.

He cued his communicator. "Attention, all units!"

* * *

The scent of blood burned his Mako-enhanced nose, and panicked shouts of troops and the dull roar of fire assaulted his ears. Zack felt like the world was moving at a slower pace even as his body quickened with the flood of adrenaline.

The yard was shear chaos. It was obvious there was a lack of leadership among the men. Sephiroth was nowhere to be seen, and Zack could hear contradicting orders being shouted to confused cadets. It seemed that all the officers and veterans had been sent out to deal with the fire, leaving the young and inexperienced in charge. It really was a lucky break for the small band of rebels, for they wouldn't have stood a chance against this many were they experienced, organized and following clear orders. Fires still blazed on the other side of the compound, distracting many of the forces, but more and more troops were becoming aware of the breach they had entered through and they had at least three dozen men surrounding them already.

It wasn't too difficult a fight yet, really. Barret and Irvine were able to keep many of them at bay with their bullets while the more courageous or reckless drove forward, engaging the rest of them in close combat.

But when the other fire was out and they got the garrison's full attention . . . well, Cid had better get that ship out there quick.

The battle was, in a word, exhilarating. It was everything Zack had trained and worked for. It made his heart race with excitement and the familiar, cold fear of death only raised the stakes, adding to the thrill. Zack loved the brawl, the mental and physical battle, fighting for a cause and protecting those he loved.

And yet, this was very different from anything Zack had done before. This time, the cause and those he loved were not necessarily on the same side. Even now he stared down at the corpse of a boy, a boy that had once looked up to him and trusted him.

His insides twisted.

Zack raised his Buster sword from the fallen troop and stepped forward to engage his comrade. In Zack's mind, he was simply another soldier. Remembering his name would make it too personal, too treacherous for Zack to be able to stomach. As much as he tried to block it now, that boy's face would be burned forever in his memory, the guilt etched forever on his soul.

The new soldier, a boy whose name Zack struggled to forget, raised his own sword, eyes ablaze with wild fear. His weapon was much shorter and lighter than Zack's, and he drove the blade forward in a clumsy, desperate thrust.

Zack was at a distinct disadvantage in such close combat. His sword was much more cumbersome and it took longer to recoil from a strike than more common weapons. Not only that, but Zack's team was in the way. They were divided into two groups to better cover one another; Barret, Selphie and Tifa formed one group while he was teamed up with Yuffie. The ninja girl fought near behind him, and a broad swing of his sword risked taking her down as well.

But this was by no means Zack's first rodeo. He had long ago figured out ways to compensate. He kept his blade close and vertical, blocking the blow, then kicked out with his foot. The soldier went down to the ground hard, and Zack wasted no time in delivering a debilitating cut to the boy's hand, effectively sidelining him for the rest of the night. Possibly the rest of his life.

The boy cried out, clutching his mangled hand to his chest, his weapon abandoned in the grass. Zack stepped over him to engage the next cadet. He knew good and well that giving the soldiers such an opportunity was very risky, but there was nothing to be done. Zack simply couldn't kill them without giving them a chance, if he could help it. They were only following orders, doing what they were supposed to do. They shouldn't have to die for their ignorance.

He shouldn't have to kill them for it.

"_Attention all units!"_ Squall's voice filtered through his ear piece. It distracted him so that he almost didn't see the soldier charging him before it was too late. He brought his sword up and spun lightly on one foot, deflecting the blow and using the soldier's momentum to send him sprawling to the ground before meeting the attack of another cadet right behind him. He tried to listen to what Squall was saying while fighting for his life. _"There is a large Heartless headed your way. Repeat, a large Heartless headed your way."_

Zack didn't like the tone of Squall's voice. And a large Heartless? Just the fact that it was Heartless was problem enough, but a large Heartless? What did that mean? One of the bigger ones they had encountered the other night? Or was this something else . . ?

"Cid, where's that ship?" Zack shouted into his device, parrying a blow and delivering a deep wound in his opponent's arm. The boy screamed and dropped his weapon.

"Working on it." The admiral sounded distracted. "This hasn't exactly been a cakewalk, so just calm down, General. I've been waiting on you people all night! The least you can do is give me-"

Zack tuned him out. He didn't have the mind power to waste on Cid's rambling. Five soldiers were advancing on him alone. He noticed that there were a lot more cadets around them now; at least fifty or more.

"Barret?" Zack called over the din to the larger man. He was less than five meters away, but Zack had to repeat himself before he glanced his way. "We should fall back!"

"I don't care how big that Heartless is!" he roared. "We're standing our ground!" His irritation was punctuated by the rattle of gunfire as he put several holes in advancing cadets. They howled and screamed and fell back, calling for reinforcements as they did.

Then, the ground started to shake. It was barely noticeable at first in all the commotion, but it came stronger and stronger until everyone paused. In a slow ripple effect, the grounds became still, the fire and intruders forgotten as one by one everyone turned to regard the castle. Aside from the low rumble, only the roar of the fire and labored breathing stirring the air.

The shaking stopped.

So did Zack's breathing.

The castle shuddered, a low pulse that made a shiver sweep down his spine. Rock cracked up the castle's walls, sharp fissures tearing towards the sky with loud pops and snaps, ripping through the night air like gunfire.

Seemingly as one, everyone in the yard took a step back.

The ground at the castle's base mounded and with a burst of rock and soil, a dark shape clawed itself free.

The creature was enormous, unlike like any Heartless Zack had ever seen. It was roughly the size of a house, with large tusks curving from powerful jaws and a single horn atop its broad head. The creature pulled itself free on all fours, each thick leg ending in sharp, split hooves. Its enormous body bulged with corded muscle and two soulless, golden eyes stared back at them.

It opened its jowls and let out a screeching roar that shook the ground they stood on. The soldiers that had been so intent on rending them to pieces fled, mindless terror seizing them as they dove for cover.

They were the smart ones.

Zack grabbed Yuffie by the forearm and dragged her closer to the other three. "We have to fall back, Barret! We can't fight this thing!"

Barret's lip curled and he let out a snarl. "We're not retreating to some oversized, deformed, half-"

"Zack's right!" Tifa said, panting and wiping a stream of blood from her lip. "There's no way we can take that on."

The monster lumbered forward, every footfall sending a tremor through the earth as it approached, golden eyes searching. A hapless cadet ran too close to the beast, and the Heartless lashed out. The attack was surprisingly graceful and swift. It swung its head to the side, impaling the boy on an ivory tusk with a sharp crack of breaking bone.

The boy's scream ended almost as soon as it began, eyes frozen in a horrified stare and a stream of blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. A small pink heart left him, floating to the sky. He convulsed once, then slid from the tusk and dropped to a heap on the floor. Then his body shivered and folded in on itself, his skin blackening, his eyes glowing. Then the new shadow rose, antennae searching and scrabbling forward on clawed hands to search for fresh hearts.

The color drained from their faces.

"What . . ." Yuffie whispered. "What happened?"

It wasn't anything new to Zack, but he still had to swallow back the bile in his throat. "Barret, if we fight it here, we're going to get smashed," Zack insisted. "We need some room. If we lure it back into open ground, we'll at least stand a chance."

The monster was moving again, seemingly in no hurry. It was more or less focused on the cadets as they made their panicky dash to more defendable positions, but it would be on them soon. Two more cadets fell at the end of its tusks.

"Chance of what?" Selphie asked. "We can't beat that."

Barret gritted his jaw and wiped away a stream of sweat from his brow. "Alright, we'll lead it to open ground! Yuffie, call it in!" With that, he began to sprint forward, letting loose a salvo of bullets and a deranged war cry.

"Whoa, wait!" Zack yelped, quickly following after him. Squall had been right; Barret had no concept of tactics. He simply screamed and fired until he had the monster's attention.

The Heartless turned his head, bellowing in irritation. When it spotted its attackers, its bellow became a roar and it moved after them, much faster than before.

They ran for their lives.

* * *

Eww. Bloody. Hope that didn't scar anyone too much. I know I'm generally more family-friendly, but honestly, gore doesn't bother me much. Hope it didn't bother you guys much either.

Things are starting to get a little tense :o Where are all the bad guys? We'll find them later XD

Well, if you will, please review, and have an awesome week! Merry belated Christmas, and Happy New Year!

God Bless,

-RainFlame


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